Why Do I Love Thee?
by DragonGirl323
Summary: Three years after Sephiroth and Meteor Tifa is living in Costa del Sol raising a two year old son. But when she runs into a familiar face from her past will she forgive him or keep resenting him?
1. Recovering

**Summary:**

Three years after Sephiroth and Meteor Tifa is living in Costa del Sol raising a two year old son. But when she runs into a familiar face from her past will she forgive him or keep resenting him?

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own nor claim to own anything from, about or pertaining to Squaresoft. Like I have enough money to pay for a lawsuit...--

**Author's Note:**

Okay, revamp has been completed. Please read through the entire story over again. I've made at least one change to every chapter. I think I did a pretty darn good job, but that's just me speaking...let me know what you think...

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**Why Do I Love Thee?**

**By: Jenna Mogavero**

* * *

I leaned back, resting my weight on my elbows and watched the shimmering waves lap up onto the Costa del Sol shore. It was cooler today. Cooler than most average days here in the little resort town, but it was still warm enough to make a person who wasn't used to the weather very uncomfortable.

But not me. I've been living here for the past three years. One would think I'd be used to the weather by now.

"Mommy! Come look at my sandcastle!" I turned my head at the sound of my son's voice and slowly rose from the place I had been sitting. He was jumping up and down waving his arms wildly.

I smiled as I walked towards him. His blonde hair seemed to glow in the bright sunlight and his brilliant blue eyes matched the waves that rolled onto shore.

My son….and Cloud's as well. Logan looks so much like his father it's sometimes hard to look at him. Cloud left as soon as he found out I was pregnant. He'd been living with me for about two months after Sephiroth and Meteor were destroyed when Logan was conceived.

He told me that he wasn't ready to be a father yet and when I told him he had better start getting ready is when he decided to leave. I tried to convince him to stay and help me raise our child but he told me he didn't want any part of it. He wanted to enjoy his life without having to worry about a child.

I got angry then and hit him. What else could I do? Stand there and take a beating from the man that supposedly 'loved' me while he told me he didn't want to be a part in our child's life?

After I hit him he marched up the stairs and packed all that he had into an old, worn backpack and left. I just stood in the doorway, shocked, and watched the father of my baby disappear.

Logan grabbed the hem of my shorts and tugged on them. "Look, Mommy!" He exclaimed happily, pointing down to the mound of sand, seashells and sticks that he had crafted.

I kneeled down and looked at my two year old's masterpiece. All it was constructed of was a few lumpy mounds of sand that had random seashells and sticks sticking out of it. I smiled and kissed him on the forehead, standing up again. "That looks wonderful."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around my leg, squeezing it as tightly as his tiny arms would allow. "I love you, Mommy!" He said before he clapped his hands above his head. His sign that he wanted to be picked up.

I leaned down and hefted him up into my arms and set him on my hip. I ran my hands through his messy blonde hair before kissing him on the cheek. "Are you hungry? Why don't we go home?"

He giggled and wrapped his arms around my neck. I laughed as well, gently placing my hand on the back of his head before turning around and walking back into town.

The only good thing Cloud did for me besides giving me Logan was leaving the condo all to me. Because we paid the whole three hundred thousand gil for it right up front there was no need to make house payments every month so I could use my paychecks for something other than bills.

I unlocked the door to my home and walked inside, breathing a sigh of relief when I walked into the air-conditioned condo. I set Logan down on the couch and looked at my watch. I needed to be at work in two hours. I sighed as I walked into the master bedroom and rummaged around in my closet for my uniform.

A few weeks after I moved here I had gotten a really good paying job being a cocktail waitress at the newest hotel/casino in town. The hours weren't that bad and the manager seemed to like me, which was always a plus in the work environment.

My costume consisted of a blue and gold tuxedo like overcoat that stopped at the base of my butt and a sleeveless, black leotard that had rhinestones making swirling patterns down the front. Not my fist choice of costume but my manager is the one that picked them out.

I quickly dressed and walked into the bathroom to apply my make-up. I had just finished putting on my eye shadow when the doorbell rang. I walked out of the bathroom and opened the front door.

Trish, my baby sitter, smiled at me. "Hey, Ms. Lockheart! Getting ready for work?" She asked, as I stepped back so she could enter.

"Yeah, just finishing," I said, walking back into the bathroom.

"How long are you working tonight?" She asked from the living room.

"At least until eight. If they need me to stay longer, I'll call you," I said, putting my earrings in. I turned the bathroom light off and walked into the bedroom, picking up my purse. "If I do end up staying late," I began as I walked into the living room. "I'll pay you double what I normally do."

She shook her head. "That's alright Ms. Lockheart. Babysitting Logan is reward enough. I hope I have kids just like him."

I smiled as I hugged Trish. "You're so sweet. Well, I've got to go. You know the drill."

She nodded and saluted. "Yes, ma'am."

"Okay, I'll see you later." I walked away from Trish and over to Logan who was sitting on the floor playing with a few plastic blocks. I picked him up and kissed him on the forehead. "Mommy has to go to work now, sweetheart. I'll be back later."

"Okay, Mommy," Logan said, wrapping his arms around my neck and hugging me. I set him back down on the floor and said bye to Trish one last time.

On warm evenings, I would usually just walk to the casino. It was only a few blocks away so driving was not exactly a necessity. I walked in the front door to the casino and made my way over to the main bar. Tony, the bartender, smiled at me as I set my purse on the shelf behind the bar.

"Hey, Teef. How ya been?" He asked as he prepared a drink for a customer.

"Pretty good. Where's Raoul?" I asked, grabbing a pad of paper and a pencil.

"Your guess is as good as mine, babe," he said, laying both of his large hands down on the bar surface. "Haven't seen him since I got here. Why?"

"Oh, I just wanted to know if he wanted me to work a double shift, that's all."

"I'll ask him if I see him," he said, grabbing a rag and beginning to wipe down an area of the bar.

"Thanks, Tony."

"Anytime," he said, picking up an empty glass and washing it out.

I walked out from behind the bar and ran into Janice, one of the other ladies that waitress with me.

She smiled at me when she noticed me and rushed over. "Hey, Teef. You just get here?"

"Yeah, how's it going so far?" I asked, putting my pencil behind my right ear.

"Well, it was pretty slow when I got here but it's starting to pick up. Better get out there. Go check out the blackjack tables, will ya? I need to give Tony a drink order."

"Sure, see you later, Jan."

I walked out past the poker tables and a few rows of slot machines before I came to the blackjack tables. I looked around and didn't see a single cocktail waitress in sight.

I sighed. Might as well get into character.

I sauntered up a table that two men were sitting at. I placed my hand on the edge of the table and looked down at the two men. "Can I get you two gentlemen anything?"

They both looked at me at the same time. The one in front of me nodded. "Yeah, I'll have some Acid Water."

I pulled out my pad of paper and scribbled his drink order down then looked at the other man. "Uh, I'll have an Agent Orange."

I nodded as I added his to the paper. "I'll have those to you right away."

I walked back to the bar and gave the drink order to Tony. He looked at the order and chuckled. "Man, I could mix these drinks in my sleep."

"I've never even heard of half these drinks. Guess I wasn't in the business long enough."

Tony chuckled as he put both drinks on a tray and set it on the bar. "Basic bartender knowledge, my dear."

I grabbed my moneybox and set it carefully on the tray next to the drinks before I picked it up and carried it back to the blackjack table area. I set the two men's drinks out in front of them and gave them their change then moved on to the next table.

I was waiting for Tony to finish making an Aztec Punch for a lady at table twenty-three when I saw Raoul walking towards the bar. He saw me and smiled.

I smiled back and picked up the tray with the drink and my moneybox then walked toward Raoul. "How's business Tifa?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Same ol', same ol'. Do you need me to work two shifts tonight or not?" I asked, shifting the tray to my other arm.

"Actually yes, I do. Carlotta had to leave early tonight so I need you to stay."

"How long do you think?" I hoped he didn't want me to stay till the bar closed. That wouldn't be until at least one or two in the morning.

"Until closing, that is, unless you can't. I can get someone else to stay."

"I can stay longer but not that late. How about eleven? Is that alright?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't object.

"That's fine. I'll ask Janice or Melina if they can work later."

I nodded and smiled as he walked away. I sighed in relief, happy that I wouldn't have to ask Trish to stay longer then she ever has before.

I returned to the bar after I finished the blackjack area and looked at my watch. It was almost eight. I walked behind the bar and fished my cell phone out of my purse. I walked into the bathroom and dialed my home phone number.

"Hello?" Came Trish's cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

"Trish, it's Tifa. Just calling to tell you I'll be working till eleven tonight. Is that okay?" I asked, tapping the toe of my high heel on the marble floor.

"Yeah, that's fine. Logan's watching TV right now. What time do you want me to put him to bed?"

"Uh, if he falls asleep watching TV just put him to bed right then. If he doesn't lay him down at nine. Is he being good?"

"Oh yeah. He's an angel. No trouble at all."

"Great, well, I better go. Gotta get back to work. Thanks again, Trish."

"No problem. I'll see you at eleven."

"Alright. Bye."

I ended the call and walked back to the bar, placed my cell phone back in my purse and resumed working.

At ten forty-five I made one last quick round along one section of slot machines before returning to the bar. I was getting ready to clock out when a very familiar voice spoke up from behind me.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Lockheart."

I spun around and locked eyes with none other than Reno. His thin lips curved up into a tight smirk and his teal colored eyes sparkled slightly.

"Reno?" I said, surprised that I'd find him here of all places.

"In the flesh," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood. If I knew you lived here I would have just left," he said, leaning on the end of the bar.

I raised one eyebrow, quickly becoming irate. Of all the times that Reno had to cross my path it had to be when I was getting off work. "Well, I have to get home."

He shrugged. "Later, Lockheart."

I walked away from the bar without uttering any form of good-bye. I could barely stand being in that man's presence. Reno was the symbol of so much of the pain in my life. He was the one that was responsible for countless lives when he caused the plate above Sector Seven to collapse. Not to mention the destruction of my bar. How I managed to keep my cool throughout that entire conversation was beyond me.

I arrived back home to find Trish sitting lazily in front of the TV flipping idly through the channels. She rose from the couch and stretched when I walked through the door.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Pretty good," I said, setting my purse down on the coffee table. "You're tired. You better get home." I pulled my wallet out of my purse and handed her her usual thirty gil for babysitting and escorted her to the door.

"So, are you working again tomorrow?" She asked, scratching an itch on her right shoulder blade.

"As far as I know. I'll call you if plans change."

She nodded and yawned before walking out and gently closing the door behind her. I stretched my arms over my head then walked into Logan's room. I walked as I quietly as I could over to his crib to find him sleeping soundly, wrapped warmly in his favorite blanket with a stuffed toy. I smiled as I flicked a few stray strands of hair out of his face before leaving his room.

I collapsed into my bed after putting on some comfortable pajamas and buried myself in my blankets, willing my mind to forget about my encounter with Reno.


	2. Not What I Needed

**Disclaimer:**

I neither own nor claim to own any of the characters or merchandise about or from any of the Final Fantasies. If I did, why am I writing this?

**Author's Note:**

Okay, thank you all who reviewed! That really lifted my spirits to hear comments such as yours! Cause I've had the **worst **case of writer's block on this Earth for the past four months and I have not seemed to have the mental capability to pull myself out of it. I hope this chapter is up to snuff from the first one. There's no Reno/Tifaness in this chapter and won't be for a while. Things like this take time. I hope I didn't go overboard on this chapter though...

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"Mommy?"

I looked up from the book I was reading and lifted my son into my arms. "What is it, sweetie?" I asked as I played with his fuzzy golden hair.

He looked down at the small plush chocobo he was holding onto then looked up at me with those cerulean blue eyes that seemed to glow. "Where's Daddy?"

I managed to choke down the lump in my throat at my two year old's comment. I reached up a hand and pressed down on my closed eyelids to prevent myself from crying. "Daddy is….uh…." I tried to explain it in a way his two-year-old mind would understand. "Daddy doesn't want to live with us, sweetheart."

A confused expression began to float around in his small eyes. "Why?"

I breathed in deeply and prayed that I would be able to get through this without breaking down. Good thing Raoul didn't need me at the casino today. I probably wouldn't have been able to concentrate. "I…..don't know, honey. I really don't know."

I looked over my son's head to the coffee table and stared hard at the solitary picture of a certain blonde haired warrior. I leaned forward and grabbed the frame, handing it to my son. "That's your daddy. His name is Cloud."

Logan stared at the picture before looking up at me. "Do I look like my daddy, Mommy?"

I bit my bottom lip as I stared down at the picture in my son's hands. "Yes, you do," I said, gently putting my hand on his cheek.

He smiled and hopped off of my lap, setting the picture back on the table. He stood and stared at it for a few moments more and that's when he truly did look like Cloud. The same expression that was present on my small son's face was the same one that was always present on Cloud's when he was confused or didn't know what to do.

Logan looked at me once more before turning and walking down the hallway to his room, more than likely to get a new toy to play with. I sighed as I picked up my book once again only to toss it onto the table, uninterested in it at the time being.

That night, I had just finished putting Logan to bed and was getting ready to go to sleep as well when I heard a knock come to the door. I frowned, wondering whom it could be. I opened the door and if I wouldn't have been holding onto the doorknob I probably would have collapsed right there. My knees started to shake as I looked upon the man that had done as much harm as good to me in one sitting.

Cloud Strife stood in front of me; eyes downcast, a neutral look on his face. "May I come in?" He asked, raising his eyes to look at me.

My left hand balled into a fist and began shaking like it would lash out and hit him any second. I nodded feebly and stepped back, allowing him passage. As soon as he was inside I closed the door and stood there in front of it with a weary expression on my face.

Why did he have to come back into my life? Why, when I was finally starting to get over the fact that I'd never see him again?

He walked into the middle of the living room and put his head into his hands like he didn't know what to say, so I spoke up first.

"What are you doing here, Cloud?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He sighed and turned around. "So, how have you been?" He asked, totally ignoring my question.

I scoffed. "Quit the small talk, Cloud. Why are you here?" I repeated, trying to emphasize my point.

He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. Our child too."

"_My _son is doing just fine," I retorted.

He smiled faintly then looked down at his hands for a few seconds before looking back up at me. "What's his name?"

"Logan James Lockheart."

"Oh," he mumbled, like he was expecting me to give my son his last name or something.

"Look, Cloud," I said, beginning to pace back on forth in front of the door. I raised my hand to my forehead and began to rub my temples, feeling a headache starting to surface. I opened my mouth to say what I was meaning to but no matter how I moved my mouth I couldn't utter a sound. I began to chuckle under my breath like this whole situation was somehow funny in an extremely sick way.

I was telling myself I shouldn't be laughing; I should be angry enough to foam at the mouth.

Cloud, seeing me in my present state, walked forward and took my hand in his. Somehow during the time that I looked like some kind of a reject from the funny farm he figured that he could cheer me up.

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down at my hand then up at him. He had some kind of love sick look in his eyes that made me feel weak in the knees and feel like vomiting all at the same time. "Tifa, I know I may have screwed up in the past but I want to make it right. I want to be the father and husband I should have been three years ago."

At that point I was seriously considering literally kicking him out of my house. How could he expect to leave me to raise a child alone then come back when said child is almost three years old and expect me to take him back like he's the only man I could ever get?

I plucked my hand from his and stared hard into his face. "Why?"

His eyes got wide for a minuet, shocked that I would ask him something as crazy as that. "Why, Tifa? What do you mean why? I realize I messed up and I want to help you raise Logan."

"No, Cloud, you don't seem to get it," I said, walking around behind him and over to the coffee table. I stopped and looked down at the picture I had just shown my son earlier that day. I bent over and picked it up, running my fingers along the dark wood of the picture frame. "Do you know what 'your' son asked me today?"

Cloud shook his head.

I turned the frame around so he could clearly see the person in the photo. "He asked where his daddy was."

A guilty expression washed over his face as he opened his mouth to say something but I swiftly apprehended him before he could say a single thing. "Do you know how broken hearted I was? I was hoping he'd never ask me that until he was older and could understand that his so called 'daddy' knocked mommy up then left because he wasn't ready to start a family yet! What, Cloud, do you think that I would fall on my knees as soon as you walked in that door thanking you profusely for coming back?" I laughed bitterly. "I don't think so. Even for a second."

Cloud frowned before an angry look appeared on his face. "Tifa, I think you know as well as I do that your little boy is mine too!" He exclaimed, walking a few steps closer to me.

"Well you didn't act like he was yours when you found out that I was pregnant with him. You got cold feet and ran out on me like some kind of teenage boy. I'd expect that from a sixteen year old but not from a twenty-two year old. What was so important that you wouldn't want anything to do with me or our unborn child?"

He clenched his jaw muscles for a few moments before answering. "I was looking for Aeris."

I placed my hands on my hips and looked at him like he had just fallen right out of the sky. "So, what then? Now that you realize that she really is dead and is not coming back you want to start over with me?"

"That's not how it is at all," he said in desperation, walking towards me and taking both my hands in his. "I realized after all that searching that I really do love you and want to raise Logan with you."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "No, Cloud, you just _think _you love me and you just _think _you want to be the father you should have been and raise Logan. I'm sorry, Cloud, but you just can't expect me to be waiting around for someone that never was really there in the first place."

Cloud opened his mouth but a sound behind him made him stop and look. I could feel every muscle in Cloud's body grow rigid as he looked down on an exact copy of himself.

I rushed over to Logan and picked him up. "What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked, kissing his forehead.

"Is that my daddy?" He asked, squinting his tiny eyes at Cloud.

I looked at Cloud and nodded my head. "Yes, honey, that's your daddy." I walked over to the door and pulled it open. "But it's time for him to leave."

Logan looked at me confused then back at Cloud before laying his head down on my chest and gripping his blanket tightly.

"Tifa, don't do this to me," Cloud said, walking towards me.

"You've already done it to yourself, Cloud," I said, my gaze never faltering. "The second you thought about leaving you had already done it to yourself."

He looked helplessly at me then the bundle of blonde hair that was curled up in my arms before trudging out the door. I quickly shut it and locked it then walked over to the couch, falling into the cushions.

Logan looked up at me and kissed me on the cheek. "It's okay, Mommy. Daddy will be okay."

I smiled as he lay his head back down. He didn't realize what had just happened and I hoped he didn't for a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

All right, I really hope I didn't go too overboard with this... Just tell me how I did in your review and remember to be gentle! There's a little button down on the left that needs a little lovin'!


	3. Another Chance?

**Disclaimer:**

...Don't even try it...I don't own it!

**Author's Note:**

Wow, you guys are so awesome! I didn't think I'd get this big of a reaction! But thank you very much anyways! I'm glad you guys like it so far!

Anyhoo, in this chapter I guess you could say there's a tad bit of Reno/Tifaness but then again it's not that big. They're just talking people...nothing important...yet. Well, I hope you like this chapter. It's a little bit longer only because I had a lot of ideas for this chap! Enjoy!

* * *

While I was getting ready for work the next day I just tried to put my encounter with Cloud out of my mind. I couldn't be worrying about something as petty as that when I have a job and a mouth to feed.

I pulled my coat jacket out of the closet then looked over at Logan who was sitting indiscriminately on my bed holding his favorite stuffed chocobo.

I walked over to him and kneeled on the floor in front of my bed. "Guess what, little man?"

A silly grin overtook his features as he squeezed his chocobo. "What?" He asked, a slight giggle in his voice.

"You get to come with mommy to work today!" I said, smiling stupidly at him. "The place I work at opened a daycare center for the kids of the employees so you don't have to sit home with Trish all the time!" I said, poking him in the side and giggling as he squealed and rolled away from me. "What do you think of that?"

He nodded his head and slid off the bed, running out of my room. He returned only seconds later with his light blue wool blanket in hand. "Okay, I'm ready."

I laughed as I pulled the rest of my uniform out of the closet. "Well, Mommy isn't. Go sit on the couch, I'll be ready soon enough."

He nodded and disappeared, allowing me to get dressed in peace. I pulled my black high heels out of the closet and slipped into them then walked into the bathroom. After I finished putting my make-up on I ran my brush through my hair and began to braid it.

I had forgotten to put my hair up the last time I worked; good thing Raoul didn't chastise me for it. He didn't want our hair getting into the drinks.

Sometimes I really hated my hair. All because it was so thick but I managed to get it braided enough that I wouldn't have to worry about it being in my face. I grabbed my purse and walked out to the living room, striding over to my son.

"Come on, sweetheart," I said, leaning down and gathering him in my arms. "Time to go."

I walked out into the garage where my small two-person truck was. I unlocked the passenger door and strapped Logan in then climbed in the driver side. I flipped the passenger visor down and clicked the button on a small remote that activated the garage door.

I slowly backed my truck out of my driveway then drove the short distance to the casino. I pulled into the parking garage and parked in my reserved employee spot. I unbuckled Logan's seatbelt then walked around and lifted him out, shutting and locking the doors.

After dropping Logan off at the dare care center, I went to the bar to get started for the day. I was getting ready to go do a sweep around the poker tables when someone sitting at the bar addressed me.

"So, Lockheart, I saw ol' Spike leavin' your condo last night. He looked pretty pissed from the look on his face," Reno said, smirking, while taking a sip of his drink.

I placed a hand on my hip and frowned. "How do you know that Cloud was at the condo last night?" I asked, wondering if Reno really had gone off the deep end.

"I was walkin' back to my apartment when I saw him storm out. It looked like you pissed him off pretty bad."

I sighed, frustrated. Leave it to Reno to find out about things that I would resent talking about to another human being. Just another one of his quirks, I guess. "Well, I have to get to work," I said, gathering my pen and pad of paper and walking out from behind the bar.

"By all means, do," Reno said, downing his drink.

I scoffed and shook my head, totally and utterly disgusted with him. How anyone could stand being alone in a room with him was beyond me. Reno is a smartass and the bad thing is he knows it and uses it to his advantage.

I stopped right in the middle of the casino floor and raised a hand to my temple, beginning to rub it lightly. _Calm down, Lockheart. You're getting upset over nothing. Now just take a deep breath, get to work and stop thinking about Reno._

Later that night, I was heading back towards the bar to give Tony a drink order when Jan walked up to me carrying a tray full of drinks. "Hey, Teef," she said, stopping and looking over her shoulder back in the direction of the bar. "Who's that guy you were talking to at the bar earlier?"

I frowned. I had figured Reno had gone home for the night. "What guy?"

"You know, the one in the blue suit with the red hair." Jan's answer justified my suspicion about who the conversation was about.

"Yeah," I said, nodding my head and rolling my eyes slightly, almost embarrassed to be affiliated with him in any way. "Why?"

"Well, after you walked off Tony started talking to him about how he knew you and he said that you two are old friends. I've never seen him around here before. How do you know him?" Jan said, a confused expression on her face.

I rolled my eyes again, this time sighing loudly. It was just like to Reno to go shooting his big mouth off. "He used to be a Turk."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You don't say? He looks kinda scrawny to be a Turk," she said, looking over her shoulder to look at the solitary red head who was downing what seemed to be his tenth drink that night.

"You know how I was in Avalanche right?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking at Reno as well.

Jan looked back at me and nodded. "Yeah." She shifted her tray to her other hand and looked at me expectantly.

"Well, he was one of the guys that tried to stop us. That's pretty much it."

She nodded again and walked away with her tray of drinks while I walked back toward the bar. I handed Tony my drink order than grabbed my moneybox from the counter and waited.

I saw Reno look at me out of the corner of my eye but I tried to ignore him. I groaned inwardly when he cleared his throat. "Well, that's an interesting uniform you got there, Lockheart."

I looked over at Reno and gave him a skeptical look. "Wouldn't you think so?" I said, putting my arms akimbo.

He smiled crookedly and sipped his drink. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do."

I clenched my jaw muscles and I could literally feel my skin crawl as Tony set my tray of drinks in front of me. I looked over at Reno one last time before I picked the tray up. "Reno, you're such an asshole."

He smiled again, even wider than before. "Yeah, I know."

I rolled my eyes disgustedly and walked away. Gods, that man could fray someone's nerves quick. And the worst thing is, his sick sense gets even worse after he's had a few drinks. Anyone in their right mind should know to never give Reno any kind of drink that has alcohol, or sounds like it has alcohol, in it. But then again, I know very well that to keep alcohol away from Reno is like telling a fish to jump out of the water and walk on land. It just can't be done.

About an hour later, I was returning to the bar with another drink order for Tony and breathed a sigh of relief when I didn't see Reno sitting at the bar anymore. He had probably gotten bored and decided to leave. I handed Tony my drink order and he started talking to me over his shoulder while he prepared the drinks.

"That Reno guy that was here a while ago sounded like a real moron," he said, giggling to himself. "He was talking about you like he's one of your best friends."

"Well, that's Reno for you," I said, sitting down. "He used to be a Turk and he was one of the guys that was after Avalanche."

"Weren't you in Avalanche?" He asked, setting my tray of drinks in front of me.

I nodded. "I told Jan the same story earlier."

Tony nodded as he wiped his hands on a towel. "Well, if he gives you any trouble you just come to me. I'll protect ya."

I smiled at his generosity. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"You better," he said, pointing his index finger at me.

I smiled again and walked away from the bar, bringing the drinks to some people playing slot machines. One of the men gave me a five-gil tip on top of the cost of the drink. It surprised me because cocktail waitresses are usually tipped two or three gil a drink. The man didn't tell me why he gave me such a large tip and I didn't ask. All I said was a quick 'thank you' then went off to another section of slot machines.

I stopped next to an elderly lady who had her face glued to the front of the slot machine. "Can I get you anything to drink, ma'am?" I asked as politely as I could.

She backed away from the slot machine and looked at me like I was crazy for disrupting her game of slots. "Yes, I'll have a Gold Cadillac margarita," she said in a rather rude tone. After she told me what she wanted she went back to shoving gil coins into the slot machine and paid no more attention to me.

I wrote her drink down on my pad of paper than walked back to the bar. Tony gave me a funny look as he started to make the old woman's drink. "Geez, Teef, you sure have been busy tonight."

"Yeah, people are thirsty, I guess," I said, sitting down on a bar stool and taking a deep breath.

Tony walked up and set a tray with the margarita and my moneybox on it. "Your shift's about over. Why don't you make this your last customer then come back and I'll fix ya up something. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful," I said, grabbing the tray.

I returned to where the old woman was and gave her her margarita. She paid me and left me a three gil tip then went back to staring at the slot machine, slowly sipping her drink.

I returned to the bar and sat down as Tony got to work making me something to drink. "Did you bring Logan to work with you?" He asked.

I nodded and brushed a few stray strands of hair out of my face. "Yeah, he's in the day care center." I paused. "I hope he's alright. This is the first time I've left him with people he doesn't know."

Tony smiled at me as he set my drink in front of me. "If he's anything like you I'm sure he's fine."

I smiled back at him then looked down at what he had made for me. "What's this?" I asked, picking the glass up and eyeing the liquid inside.

"It's a mix of Wutain vodka and spiced rum from Cosmo Canyon. It's a little strong but it'll relax ya."

I thanked him and watched him walk off to another part of the bar to serve someone then looked back at my drink. I took a sip of it and almost coughed as the liquid slid down my throat causing it to feel as though it were on fire.

I've had some pretty outrageous drinks in my time but never to the extent of what I had just swallowed. I took another small sip and realized that despite its fiery kick it had quite a lot of flavor. After I had finished I looked at the clock and sighed in relief that it was time for me to clock out.

I thanked Tony for the drink again, grabbed my purse then walked to the day care center to pick up Logan. When I got there Logan was standing by the door with his chocobo and blanket in hand. When he saw me he flung himself on my legs and squeezed them.

I reached down and hefted him up into my arms and kissed him on the cheek. "Hey, you!" I said, smoothing his hair out. "How are you?"

"Good. Can we go home?"

"Of course. Come on," I said, reaching for the doorknob.

Right when I was getting ready to walk out, a girl behind the desk called out. "Excuse me, ma'am!"

I turned around and walked toward the counter the girl was standing behind. "Yes?" I said, wondering what she wanted.

She looked at me critically. "Where are you taking him?"

I looked at Logan then at the girl with astonishment, almost unsure of how I was supposed to answer her. Wasn't this the same girl that was here when I dropped him off? "I'm taking him home," I said, beginning to tap my foot on the carpeted floor.

"Are you his mother?" She asked, a bored expression on her face.

I blinked twice in utter amazement. I looked at Logan once again then back at the girl and shook my head. "No, I'm a stranger and I'm kidnapping him." I paused to let my smartass statement sink in. I was tired and not in the mood for anyone's stupid questions. "Of course, I'm his mother!"

"What's your name, ma'am?" She said, pulling a clipboard out.

"Tifa Lockheart."

She stared at the clipboard for a second then set it back down. "Sorry for the confusion, Ms. Lockheart. You can take Logan home now."

I smiled sarcastically. "Why, thank you!"

I turned around and left the day care center, deciding that I probably wouldn't be bringing Logan back there again. If that girl was that much of an airhead to forget I was Logan's mom no telling what else she was capable of forgetting.

I unlocked my truck and buckled Logan into his seat then got in the driver's side. I looked over at Logan as I started the engine. "Well, did you have a good time?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"What did you do?" I asked, backing out of my spot and exciting the parking garage.

"I played with some of the kids and watched a movie."

"That sounds fun."

When we got home, Logan went right into his room and got dressed for bed. He came into my room and climbed on my bed and watched me as I got ready for bed as well.

I brushed the braid out of my hair and sprayed it with some water so it wasn't so wavy. I decided to wait until the morning to take my make-up off.

I undressed and put on an extremely large black button up shirt and a pair of black boxer shorts. I sat down on the bed next to Logan and rubbed my feet. Wearing those high heels for hours on end made my feet feel like they were numb.

I got up and stretched then looked down at Logan. "You ready to go to bed, creepy?" I asked, tickling him.

He giggled as he tried to roll away from me. I lifted him into my arms and walked into his room, softly laying him in his crib. I covered him with his blanket and handed him his chocobo. "Sweet dreams. See you in the morning."

"Love you, mommy," he said, a yawn escaping his lips.

"I love you too, honey." I leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead then walked out of his room.

I went into the kitchen and filled a glass up with water from the tap and leaned against the counter.

_I'm getting paid in a few days. _I thought idly. _Maybe I can take Logan somewhere for a small vacation. Nanaki would like to see him. Maybe I'll take him to see Red. _

My thoughts were interrupted when a knock came to my door. I looked at the digital clock that was on my stove and frowned. It was almost ten o'clock. Who would be knocking at my door at this ungodly hour?

I poured the rest of my water back into the sink and went to answer the door. I opened it and just about did a double take when I saw Reno flash his award-winning smile at me.

_What the hell is he doing here? _

"Hey, Tifa," he said, leaning against the door jam. "Mind if I come in?"

I stood there in a stupor for a few minutes before I nodded my head. I backed away from the door then quietly shut it after he was inside. He went and sat down on the couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table.

I crossed my arms over my chest as I stood and studied him. "Reno, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "I just thought I'd drop by and see how you were doin'. That's all."

I frowned and bit the inside of my cheek. "Why do you have such a sudden interest in me, Reno?" My question caught him off guard and left him speechless. "When you were a Turk we were constantly at each other's throats and now you actually want to get to know me? Who are you and what have you done with the real Reno?"

His eyebrows twitched slightly. "Well, I can't see why we can't be friends."

"I can." I stared at him defiantly. I wasn't sure about him but I won't be forgetting that he was the one that pressed the button and caused the Sector Seven plate to collapse. He gave me a questioning look, almost prompting me to continue. I walked a little closer to him so I was almost standing directly in front of the coffee table. "Reno, you were a Turk."

"Really? I didn't know that!" He said, in an overly sarcastic tone.

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore his comment. "And I was in the group that you and your company was trying to bring down! Reno, I'll never forget what you did. You killed hundreds of people when you made the plate collapse and you were always trying to take down Avalanche! Call me ignorant, rude or stuck up but what you did in your past is unforgivable."

Reno's eyes narrowed like he was trying to find some special meaning in my little speech. He got up from the couch, stuffed his hands into his pockets and sauntered up to me getting about three inches away from my face, which startled me at first.

He remained silent for a few moments before he finally decided to speak. "Yes, I may have done some pretty bad shit in the past but who hasn't? No one's perfect; not even you, Lockheart."

I scoffed. "I know that, Reno! But the things we did we did it for the good of everyone else! You and your band of thugs didn't do anything for anyone but yourselves!"

He frowned slightly. "Well, what if I told you that people could change?"

I shook my head, sending my slightly wavy hair flying all over the place. "I wouldn't be able to believe you. I could expect something like that from any other person besides you, Reno."

He backed away, a shocked and angry look on his face. "Tifa, Shinra doesn't even exist anymore!" He said, raising his voice slightly. "Me, Elena and Rude have been out of work since Midgar was destroyed. And, even if, by some weird change of events that Shinra rose up again and gave us our jobs back none of us would take them!"

I stood there, my arms crossed defiantly over my chest. "I find that very hard to believe. Reno, I know for a fact that you'd take that job back in an instant!" I exclaimed, my voice rising as well. "You've lied so many times to us in the past that it's kind of hard to discern truth from lie!"

Reno opened his mouth to shout back at me but stopped in his tracks and frowned. He looked around behind me and a stupefied look appeared on his face.

I turned around and saw Logan standing a few feet behind Reno and I, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and clutching his blanket tightly in one hand. "Mommy, what's going on? Why are you yelling?" He said, yawing slightly.

I walked toward him and picked him up, kissing him on the cheek. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm sorry for yelling."

"Who is that?" He asked sleepily, still rubbing his eyes. "Is it Daddy?"

"No, no," I said, resisting the urge to gag. "No, it's not daddy. Daddy won't be coming back here for a long time. Come on, you have to go back to bed."

He nodded and rested his head on my shoulder as I carried him back to his room. I set him back in his crib and tucked him back in. "Go to sleep now. Mommy promises not to yell anymore, okay?"

Logan nodded and yawned again before closing his eyes, drifting back off to sleep. I kissed him on the forehead then turned to leave his room.

I stopped short when I saw Reno standing in the doorway. I sighed then gently put my hand on his shoulder and pushed him out into the hallway. I quietly closed the door behind me and walked back in the living room. I sat down on the couch and drew my legs underneath me. Reno stopped in the middle of the living room, his hands stuffed in his pockets with his eyes trained on me with disbelief.

"You have a….son?" He asked, like he was hallucinating or something.

I nodded. "I do."

He began to pace back and forth. He stopped abruptly and ran a hand through his messy red hair. "So, uh, who's the father?"

I gave him a cynical look and slightly raised one of my eyebrows. "That's something I don't want to discuss with you, Reno."

"That's alright," he said, a smile in his voice. "I already think I know who he is anyway." My eyes widened at his comment. Reno smirked and laughed slightly. "Don't look so surprised. Anyone with eyes can tell who the little guy's father is."

I looked down at my feet. Logan does look exactly like Cloud when he was a little boy. "I just don't feel like talking about it," I said, crossing my arms. "I don't regret having Logan with Cloud. I just wish it could have been under different circumstances."

"So, you guys never got together, huh?" He asked, a little sympathy starting to show in his voice.

"No, we never did. He insisted that Aeris was out there somewhere waiting for him." I shook my head, trying to forget all about it.

"Well, you've gotten along fine without him. You probably didn't need him anyways."

I looked up at Reno, my eyes narrowed slightly, wondering what he meant by that. I shrugged. "Probably not," I said, realizing that I wouldn't only have a newborn baby to take care of but a twenty-two year old on the brink of another break down. Maybe it was better this way.

I rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen, grabbing the same glass I was drinking out of earlier and filling it back up again. I turned back to Reno but before I took a drink I gave him a questioning look. "Thirsty?"

He shook his head. "No thanks."

I shrugged and took a large gulp before sticking it back under the faucet and refilling it.

Reno ran his hand through his hair again, searching for something to say. "What about all your other friends in Avalanache? Do they know about all this?"

I nodded as I sipped my water, not turning to address him. "Yes, and all of them have come up with different ways to torture him if they happen to see him again. Especially Barret."

He nodded and stared at the floor. "Well," he said, digging the toe of his right foot into the carpet. "I'd better get going. You're probably tired."

I nodded. "Yeah, I was about to suggest the same thing." I walked out of the kitchen and opened the door for him.

One corner of his mouth curved up into a slight smirk as he followed me to the door. "See you later, Lockheart."

I nodded. "Bye, Reno," I said, as I walked back into the kitchen, finished the last of my water and returned the glass to the sink. I stood at the window and watched Reno sulk away into the darkness. I shook my head and turned the living room light off then walked into my room.

I flicked off the light switch and sunk down into the cool covers of my bed and sighed contentedly.

**Author's Note:**

Hope you guys like it! I'm starting my job a week from now so I'm not sure if I'll be able to update as much. If not, please bear with me! I'll update eventually! Well, now that you're done there's a button down on the left corner that's feeling very lonely right now!


	4. Leisure Time

**Disclaimer:**

Still don't own it...

**Author's Note:**

Well, here's the next chapter! Thank you very much for all the wonderful reviews! And don't worry! I'll probably be gettin' to the Reno/Tifa-ness in the next two or three chapters, more or less, so I hope all you faithful reviewers will stick with me on this!

Anyhoo, I hope you like this chappy. There's not mcuh going on but I'll put a little more excitement in the next chapter!

* * *

"Thanks again for working two shifts, Tifa," Raoul said, a smile on his thin lips.

"No thanks needed."

"Well, you can go pick up your pay check and I want you to take a few days off. Today's Thursday so I want you back Tuesday night."

I looked at Raoul with an astonished look on my face. This was the first time he's given me five days off, but I wasn't complaining. I smiled. "Thank you so much, Raoul. Are you sure though?"

"Absolutely," he said, his mind made up. "You need some time off. You've been working more than anyone else and you deserve some leisure time."

I gave him a short one-armed hug then went and picked up my check before returning to the day care center to pick Logan up. When I walked in I saw him sitting in one corner of the extremely large room playing alone with a toy. Besides him, there were only two other children present and they were sleeping.

I walked over to the counter where the same girl that thought I was abducting my own son was sitting behind the counter reading a magazine. She looked up at me when I leaned over the counter.

"You remember me, right?" I asked, giving the girl an impatient critical look.

She nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Ms. Lockheart. I remember you," she said, in a bored monotone voice.

I straightened up. "Good, just making sure you didn't think I was kidnapping my own son again."

The girl didn't look up but bit the corner of her bottom lip, the only sign that meant she heard me. I chuckled to myself as I walked toward Logan. He looked up and just about fell over trying to get to me.

"Mommy!" He said, latching onto me and squeezing me tightly.

I leaned down and picked him up. "Hey, you. Did you have fun?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I fell asleep."

"You did?" I said, walking over and picking up his blanket and plush chocobo.

He nodded. "But not for very long."

"Great," I said, feigning sarcasm. "Now you're gonna be up all night bugging me!"

He giggled. "No, I won't!"

"Are you sure?" I asked him as I walked out of the day care center without glancing at the young woman behind the counter knowing very well that she wouldn't be paying attention anyways.

"Yes!" He exclaimed, giggling.

"Okay," I said, smiling slightly. "We'll see about that."

He giggled some more before resting his head on my chest.

Logan wanted to go straight to bed as soon as we got home; I couldn't blame him, so did I.

After I laid him down for the night, I went to sleep as well. I'd call Red in the morning and ask him if we could spend a few days with him and his family.

"Who were you talking to, Mommy?" Logan asked, walking up to me and climbing into my lap.

"I was talking to Uncle Red," I replied, kissing the top of his head.

He looked up at me, his eyes lighting up. "Is he gonna visit us?"

I smiled. "Actually, we're gonna go visit him."

His eyes sparkled because that meant he got see Seto, Kalla and Nayo, Red's cubs. They were only a few weeks younger than Logan but they were still really small, thanks to his species' longevity.

"When are we leaving?"

"I called Cid a little while ago and he's going to pick us up tomorrow afternoon. So, we have to start packing."

"Okay!" He said happily, jumping off my lap and dashing into his room.

I laughed as I watched him disappear. I hadn't meant that very second but getting started now wouldn't be such a bad idea. I walked into my bedroom and pulled a medium sized suitcase out from under my bed and began to fill it with some clothes that were appropriate for life in Cosmo Canyon. I'd worry about getting together all my cosmetics and toiletries tomorrow.

I left my room and went into Logan's to see how his packing was coming along. I smiled as I saw him standing in front of his dresser going through his shirt drawer. He would pick up a shirt, see what it was then decide if he wanted to take it or not by tossing it into his small black duffel bag or putting it back into the drawer.

He noticed my presence and walked towards me. "How long are we gonna be gone, Mommy?" He asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Four days," I said, leaning down.

Without another word he went back to his dresser and closed the open drawer before moving on to another one. I smiled again, figuring he'd come and get me once he thought he was finished.

I walked into my bathroom, figuring I'd just start getting things together early just to make sure I had everything I needed. I opened the cabinet under the bathroom sink and began rummaging around when a thought occurred to me. I used all of our sun tan lotion when we last went to the beach.

Immediately I left the bathroom and walked back into Logan's room. He was going through his toy box figuring out which ones he wanted to bring. He looked up at me and walked over.

"What is it, Mommy?" He asked, lifting his hands up into the air as I leaned down and picked him up.

"We need to go to the store really quick," I said, walking out of his room and into mine.

"Why?" He asked, playing with a strand of my hair.

"We need more sun tan lotion or we're gonna fry."

He giggled at my comment as I set him down on my bed. I grabbed my purse and car keys then picked Logan up again and walked into the garage.

We got into the truck and drove the few short blocks to a small drugstore and went inside, holding Logan in my arms. I didn't bother getting a cart; I wasn't going to buy very many things anyways.

I picked out a cheap brand of sun tan lotion and a bottle of tanning oil. Then I began to walk through the store, looking for anything else I would need. I passed the disposable camera section and grabbed two of them. I never took any pictures of Logan with the cubs last time we visited so now was my chance.

I was on my way to a register to pay for my items when someone called me from behind.

I turned and saw Reno walking up to me with one hand in his pocket and the other carrying a bottle of whiskey. I rolled my eyes. "What's the whiskey for?" I asked, handing Logan the disposable cameras as I dug some money out of my pocket.

"I'm meetin' Elena and Rude in Rocket Town tomorrow afternoon. Sorta like a reunion." He paused and studied the items in my hand. "What about you?"

"We're going to Cosmo Canyon to spend some time with Red," I said, pulling a twenty-gil bill out of my pocket.

"Neato." He paused and pulled his hand out of his pocket. "How you doin', squirt?" He asked, ruffling his hair.

Logan laughed and tried to pull away from Reno's hand. "Fine!" He squealed.

"Takin' care of your mother?" Logan nodded and laid his head on my chest, smiling.

My mouth turned up in a half smile at Reno's question to Logan, still baffled at why he would care so much about our relationship as friends when we were sworn enemies back in the day of Shinra.

I walked to a register and handed my items to the cashier then handed her a twenty when she ran it all up. She put them in a bag then smiled at me before turning to Reno. "Are you over twenty-one, Sir?"

"Yes, I am," Reno replied, pulling his I.D. and some gil out of his wallet and handing them to her.

The cashier looked at Reno's I.D. then at his face being rewarded with the same goofy smile that was on his driver's license. She handed him his I.D. back then gave him his change and the bottle of whiskey.

Reno looked up at me and put a hand over his heart. "Oh, Tifa, thanks for waiting," he said, in a fake overly emotional voice. "I didn't know you cared."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. Reno could be so childish sometimes.

He walked me out to my truck and I set Logan down in the passenger side before looking up at Reno. "Did you drive here?"

He stared at me blankly for a few moments before replying. "With what?"

I frowned. "You mean you don't have a car?"

He shook his head.

"Do you even have a job?" I asked, wondering how he was making a living.

"Well," he said, looking down at the ground. "I'm getting one pretty soon."

"Where is it gonna be?" I asked, leaning on the bed of my truck.

"The docks," he replied, running a hand through his messy red hair. "Loading and unloading cargo ships."

I smiled. "That sounds like a good job. Does it pay well?"

"Somewhat," he said, shrugging.

I looked down at Logan to find him staring up at Reno and me with his mouth half way open and a blank expression on his face. "What are you lookin' at, creepy?" I asked, tapping his nose.

He jerked his face away and grabbed his nose, giggling. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head.

"How are you getting to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow?"

I looked back at Reno, wondering why he was asking me that. "Cid's coming to pick me up in the Highwind. Why?"

He looked away from a second and scratched the back of his head before looking at me with a semi-embarrassed look on his face. "Do you think he could give me a ride to Rocket Town?"

I shrugged. "Depending on what type of mood Cid is in but I'm sure he'd have no problem with it."

He nodded. "Should I meet you at your place?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Make sure you're not late though," I said, shutting Logan's door and walking around to the other side of my truck.

"Fair enough," he said, walking around and stopping next to the bed on the left side. "Guess I'll see ya tomorrow then." He waved and began walking through the parking lot back to his apartment.

I shook my head as I started the truck up and drove back home. Reno could be so confusing sometimes.

**Author's Note:**

Well, hope you enjoyed it! Oh, I just found out that I'm working mornings at my job so it won't interfere with me updating this or any other of my stories! Now that you're done there's a little button down there that needs some lovin'!


	5. A Vacation At Last

**Disclaimer: **

Yeah, I own Final Fantasy VII! See, it's sitting right over there on my shelf! That's how I own it!

**Author's Note:**

Wow, another chapter! Didn't think I'd get another one up this fast but oh well. Hope you guys like this chapter. If you're confused about anything let me know. I wrote this one kind of fast so I could have left something out.

Thanks so very much for all the wonderful reviews! I loved every single one of the them! So, after you finish reading this chappy I would enjoy it very much if you let me know how I did on this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

I was sitting at the kitchen table the next morning practically fuming.

_Why was I so nice to Reno yesterday? _I thought to myself. _What the hell is wrong with me? I can't be nice to Reno._

Logan walked up to me with his plush chocobo and climbed onto my lab. "When's Reno coming?"

I stared at my son stupidly. He had taken to Reno quite quickly and it surprised me. I looked at my watch. "Around three o'clock."

"Okay," he said, hopping down and returning to his room.

_But it's strange. _I began to think once more. _It's almost like Reno's a totally different person, almost. But I haven't been around him long enough to find out what he's really like. Three years is a long time. Maybe I am being a little stuck up about this whole thing. I mean, he's so sweet to Logan and all. But the question is, can I trust him?_

_Ugh! What am I saying! I'm talking about Reno here! _

Exasperated, I got up from the kitchen table and walked into my bedroom. I pulled out my cosmetics bag and filled it with all my make-up before grabbing a smaller bag to put all my toiletries in. After I had finished that, I grabbed all the money I made and sat on the couch, beginning to count out how much I had.

When I was done counting it I had over one thousand two hundred gil and since I didn't have to make the truck and all the utilities payments until the next pay period I could use the money and save whatever I had left.

I put all the money in my wallet, safely tucked away in my purse then walked into Logan's room. He was sitting on the floor in front of his small duffel bag. I walked towards him and sat beside him. He smiled and gave me a hug. "Hi, Mommy!"

"Hello, Logan!" I said, kissing him on the top of his head.

He crawled into my lap as I pulled his suitcase towards me so I could go through it.

"I packed all by myself!" He said, smiling up at me.

I smiled back at him. "Yes, you did! And you did a very good job!"

He giggled as he wrapped his arms as far around my waist as his little arms would allow.

After I was finished sorting through all the clothes he wanted to bring I found the only things he forgot were socks and some sleepers when he went to bed.

I was about to lift Logan off of my lap when someone knocked at the door. "Go get that, sweetie."

He ran out of his room as I got up off the floor and walked to his dresser.

"Reno!" Logan exclaimed.

"Hey, shorty! How ya been?"

I froze in place and looked at my watch. It was ten minuets past noon. I raised my index finger to my wrist and tapped the glass before looking at the small digital clock that was sitting on the top of Logan's dresser.

I looked at Reno as Logan pulled him into the room. Reno froze immediately when he saw the look on my face. "What?" He asked, giving me an inquiring look.

I looked at my watch again. "You're early." I paused. "Three hours early to be exact."

"What's wrong with that?" He asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

I ran my hand through my hair and shrugged. "Somehow I expected you to show up at the last possible second."

"Well, I thought I'd come early to see if you needed any help."

My eyes widened at his comment. This man was unbelievable.

"What?"

"Never mind," I said, turning back to Logan's dresser and pulling out three pairs of socks and two sleepers.

"Alright," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Hey, Reno, come here!" Logan said, waving him over to his toy box.

"What's up, kiddo?" He asked, walking toward him and kneeling on the floor.

"Look at this!" Logan said, handing him one of his toys.

"Wow," Reno said, trying to use his best 'I'm talking to a little kid' voice. "Now that's a cool toy!"

"My mommy got it for me for Christmas!" Logan said, taking it back from Reno and hugging it to his chest.

Reno looked at me and gave me a thumbs up. "Nice gift, Mom!" He said, smiling stupidly.

I rolled my eyes as I sat down on the floor and put the socks and sleepers into Logan's bag. "You're welcome, Son," I said, as sarcastically as I could get.

Logan set the toy back into his toy box and crawled over to me. "Mommy, is Reno coming with us to Cosmo Canyon?" He asked, grabbing a strand of my hair and playing with it.

I smiled. "No, sweetie. He's going to see some friends of his own in Rocket Town."

"Oh," he said, sort of disappointed.

"Well, maybe I can stop by Cosmo Canyon. How long are you guys staying there?"

I didn't reply for many moments. Why Reno wanted to stop by and see us was mind-boggling. I snapped back to attention. "Till Tuesday afternoon. I have to be back to work that night."

"You think Cid could give me a ride back?"

I shrugged. "I guess," I said, nodding.

I looked at my watch and sighed. It was two o'clock. Cid wouldn't be here until at least another hour. I left Logan's room and walked into mine, beginning to rummage around in my suitcase to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. I opened my closet and looked around, seeing what else I could bring.

I didn't notice Reno's presence until he cleared his throat. I looked at him while I was transferring a long, frilly skirt to my suitcase. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked toward me.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asked, stopping a few feet away from me.

"What is it?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking directly into his eyes.

"Why…" He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. "Why are you being so, I don't know, nice to me all of a sudden? The last few days you've been a witch with a capital B and now you're not. What's up?"

I looked down at the floor then peered over Reno's shoulder. Logan was sitting on the floor, holding the picture of Cloud in his hands. "You see that little boy over there?" I asked him, causing him to turn around. He looked back at me and nodded. "That little boy is my pride and joy. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him. He's all I have. You should have heard him this morning. He was running around asking me 'When's Reno gonna get here?' I don't know how and I don't know why but Logan's quite taken with you. If a two year old can give you a chance, I'm pretty sure that I can try."

One corner of his mouth curved up. "Oh, Tifa, you're so sweet!" He said, moving to give me a hug.

I grabbed his wrists though and shook my head. "Nuh-uh."

He put his hands up in the air defensively. "I didn't do a thing." He walked out of my room to go sit by Logan, who was still staring at the picture of his father. "Whatca got there?"

"It's my daddy," Logan said. I swallowed hard for I knew what he was going to say next. "He doesn't wanna live with us."

Reno was silent for many moments. "Gee, I'm sorry, sport." I turned to continue going through my closet when Reno turned his head to look at me. I could feel his eyes drilling into my back. I closed my eyes and turned away from my closet, staring at my suitcase.

I heard Reno get up from the floor and walk towards me. "Tifa, you never said anything about Cloud not wanting to live with you. Why didn't you say anything about it?"

"It's not important," I said, looking over my shoulder briefly before turning back around and beginning to bite my nail.

"Not important, Tifa, what do you mean?" He asked, stepping closer to me.

"I mean what I mean, Reno," I said with a little more venom in my voice than I should have used. "Don't expect me to spill my entire life to you when we barely know each other. There are some things that you don't need to know about my life and that was definitely one of them."

Reno didn't speak for a while, instead he came and stood directly behind me. He put his mouth right next to my ear. "What if I want to get to know you?"

His warm breath made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I quickly moved away and turned to face him. I was getting ready to say something when a knock came to the door. I stared hard into Reno's eyes once more before going to open it.

"Hey, Tifa!" Cid said, adjusting the goggles on the top of his head. "How ya been?" He walked past me and fell silent when he saw Reno standing in my bedroom doorway. "What's he doin' here?" He said, never taking his eyes off the red headed former Turk.

I stepped around in front of Cid so he could only look at me. "He needs a ride to Rocket Town. Is it alright that you take him there after you drop me off?"

He looked at me for a few seconds before staring at Reno and giving him an overly critical look. He shrugged. "Yeah, it's fine with me."

"Thanks, Cid," I said, getting up on my tiptoes and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

He shrugged again and scratched his head. "Don't worry about it."

Logan looked up from his place on the floor and looked up at Cid. "Hi, Unca Cid!" Logan said, waddling over to him.

"Hey, kiddo!" Cid said, picking Logan up. "How have you been?"

"Good," he said, grabbing Cid's goggles off of his head and putting them on. "We're going to see Unca Nanki."

I smiled at Cid before walking past Reno and grabbing my bags. I set them down next to the door then walked into Logan's room and grabbed his small bag, placing it next to mine. Cid was still standing in the same place, giving Reno yet another death glare. Reno didn't seem phased by it, though. He just stood there with his hands in his pockets, a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

I walked over to Cid and relieved Logan from him. "Cid?" I said, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"What?" He asked, still looking at Reno.

"Look at me," I said.

He reluctantly turned his head so he was staring me in the face. "Tifa-"

I shook my head. "Cid, it's okay. Reno hasn't done anything….yet. He just needs a ride to Rocket."

"What about on the way back?" He asked, diverting his gaze from my eyes for only a second to look at Reno.

"Yes, he'll need a ride back too."

"Fine," Cid said, turning and walking out of the condo. "Come on."

I placed Logan on the floor and handed him his bag. He carried it, along with his plush chocobo and blanket, haphazardly in his tiny hands. I grabbed both my bags, slinging the larger suitcase over my shoulder and carrying the other one at my side. Reno walked over to the couch and picked up a black bag very similar to Logan's and walked past me.

"I see Cid's still the same," he mumbled as he walked out the door.

I locked the doorknob then closed the door and slid the deadbolt into place before turning and following Cid and Reno out of town. Cid had managed to get the Highwind low enough so all we had to do was climb up a ramp to get onto the deck instead of having to climb that stupid rope ladder.

I set my bags down in Operations then made my way to the bridge. Cid was showing Logan around the bridge and Reno was sitting against a wall, looking bored.

I walked over to Cid, figuring Reno didn't want to be bothered at the moment. "Mommy, look!" Logan said, running over to me and pulling on the hem of my shirt. "This is the lever that fires the missiles."

I looked at where he was standing then studied the lever Logan was pointing to closely. When I realized what it was I gave Cid an unamused look, which made him chuckle a small amount.

Cid looked up and peered out the front window spying a cargo ship that was pulling into the bay. "Pull that lever and see if you can hit the cargo ship," Cid said, winking at me.

I smiled and watched as Logan pulled down on the lever and jumped back as the engines roared to life. He ran up to the window and looked out, seeing the cargo ship still in one piece. "Hey, where'd the missiles go?"

Cid leaned over. "Like I'd really tell him where the missile launcher is located."

I chuckled slightly as I walked toward Logan. I kneeled down and put my arm around him. "Maybe they're not working today."

"Aww," he said, disappointed, as he walked away.

An idea sparked as I looked over at Cid. "Hey, Cid, do you have Nelly with you?"

He looked over at me and smiled. "Hell, yeah. I always have Nelly in the Highwind."

"Thanks, Cid." I walked over to Logan who was sitting on the floor next to the doorway, pouting. "Hey, come here. I wanna show you something."

He perked up and followed me out of the bridge. I lead him over to where Cid kept his black chocobo, Nelly. Before I pushed the door open I turned back to Logan. "Now close your eyes."

He smiled; realizing that he was going to like this and quickly complied by closing his eyes and clamping his hands down over them.

I walked around behind him and gently pushed him through the door. Nelly looked at Logan, blinking her brilliant blue eyes at him before walking toward him.

"Can I open them now?" He asked, giggling.

I nodded. "Yes, you can open them."

He pulled his hands away and squealed at the sight of a real live chocobo. This startled Nelly for she jumped back and flapped her short wings. Logan didn't realize that he scared the poor bird so he ran toward her and wrapped his arms around one of her legs.

Nelly realized that Logan didn't mean her any harm so she lay down on the ground, prompting Logan to climb onto her back. He smiled and sat on her back, tightly wrapping his arms around her neck. She stayed still for a few more seconds, making sure he was on her back before getting up.

"Look, Mommy!" Logan said as Nelly walked around the small room. "I'm riding a chocobo!"

"Yes, you are!" I said, leaning against the wall, watching as Nelly walked around.

I stood and observed until Nelly stopped and looked back at Logan. She warked at him, being rewarded with a tight hug around her skinny neck before kneeling back down on the ground so Logan could safely climb off.

He gave Nelly one last hug before running over to me. "Mommy, that was fun!" He said, latching onto my legs. "I wanna do it again!"

I leaned down and picked him up, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "Maybe later."

Logan looked over my shoulder and waved 'bye' to Nelly. She cocked her head at him, not understanding the gesture.

I walked onto the bridge and went to stand in my usual spot in front of the window and gazed out. Logan pointed. "I can see Cosmo Canyon!"

I smiled and smoothed out his messy hair before setting him down on the floor. "Go get your bag, okay?"

He nodded and ran off the bridge. I walked over to Cid.

"Where'd you go?" He asked, lowering the altitude of the Highwind. "You left me alone with Turk boy over here."

I rolled my eyes. "I let Logan ride Nelly."

He frowned. "What do ya mean?" He asked, not sure what I was saying.

"I let him sit on her back while she walked around." I paused and looked back out the window. Cid set the Highwind down a ways away from the entrance to the canyon. I turned to him and gave him a hug. "Thanks again, Cid."

"No problem," he said, patting me on the back. "So, I'll see ya Tuesday morning?"

"Yep," I said, looking over to where Reno was still sitting in the same place he had been the last time I saw him. "Reno's going to be coming to Cosmo Canyon so you won't have to worry about tracking him down."

He nodded and adjusted the goggles that were holding his messy blonde hair in place. "Alright, just be careful around him. He was a Turk, a good one too. I don't care how many years Shinra has been out of commission. He could still be dangerous."

I looked down at the floor and bit my bottom lip. _Could he still be dangerous? Can people like Reno really change? I don't know what to think right now._

I looked back up at Cid and smiled, giving him one last hug. "Thanks again for the ride. I'll see you in a few days."

I said bye to Reno before walking out of the bridge and grabbing my two bags. Logan was standing by the ramp leading down to the ground. Once I reached where he was standing he raced down the ramp and over to the large staircase that led up to the canyon.

Once I was safely on the ground, one of Cid's crewmen drug the ramp up onto the deck and ran inside. I stood there and watched as the Highwind lifted off of the ground and flew off, disappearing into the distance.


	6. Riding Chocobos

**Disclaimer: **

Still don't own it...

**Author's Note: **

Wow, guys, thanks for all the great reviews! I loved 'em! Keep 'em rollin' in! My story has ten times the hits than reviews so please review! I really want to hear your opinion on this story!

Well, anyhoo, thanx everyone for your continued support and here's the next chapter!

* * *

"Unca Nanki!" Logan screeched, running towards Red XIII and wrapping his arms around him.

"Hello, Logan!" Red said, smiling, lifting his large paws up and placing them on Logan's back gently hugging him back.

"Logan!" Three small voices cried from inside the star display room. Mere moments later, three balls of red fluff tumbled out and dashed toward him, pouncing on him and tackling him to the floor.

Logan squealed and began laughing as Red's three small cubs began licking his face. He managed to sit up and gave each one a hug before they began climbing all over him. The last time we had visited, the cubs were much smaller; now they were twice as big.

Red got the attention of all three of his cubs by tugging on each of their tails gently. He waved a paw in my direction. "Aren't you going to say hello to Aunt Tifa?" He asked, giving his cubs a critical look.

All three of them looked at me and stood still for a few seconds before rushing towards me. I kneeled down on the floor and caught all three of them as they jumped onto my chest, sending me back onto my bum. Kalla squealed as I turned her over on her back and began tickling her stomach. She grabbed my hand with all four of her paws and began nibbling on one of my fingers.

I turned to Seto and Nayo who were tangling themselves up in my hair. "Hey, you two!" I said, grabbing them and setting them in my lap. "Stop that!" They tried squirming away from me as I began to tickle them as well.

I let them go and watched as they ran over to their father, prancing around him. "Can we go play outside with Logan, Daddy? Can we? Can we?"

Red laughed and nodded, waving a paw towards the front door. "Go ahead. Just don't hurt each other."

Logan got up from the floor and dashed outside followed by the three cubs. Once they were outside, I got up and brushed myself off. Red sighed, rolling onto his back and looking up at me with a goofy grin.

"So, Tifa," he began. "How have you been?"

I sighed, sitting down on the couch. "Not so good, actually."

He rolled around so he was lying on the ground facing me and cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"I had a visit from Cloud a few days ago." I watched as Red's eyes narrowed and grew dark. He highly disapproved of what Cloud did to me, probably even more so than anyone else, including Barret. Mostly because he knew the joys of being a father and he couldn't even bring himself to imagine telling his mate what Cloud had told me.

He rose from his place on the floor and hopped onto the couch, laying his head down on my lap. "Tell me what happened."

I put a hand on the top of the red beast's head and began to slowly run my fingers through his tangled mane. "Well, when he showed up at my doorstep I was so shocked I almost collapsed. At first, all Cloud wanted to do was exchange pleasantries, sort of like the whole reason he visited was to talk about the old days."

"Well?" He said, prompting me to continue.

I looked away from Red's piercing yellow eyes, calling up the not so pleasant memory of that night. "I told him Logan's name. Then," I began, beginning to chuckle. "he actually asked me if we could pick up where we left off." I stopped and looked down at Red, who stayed still for a few seconds before looking up at me with shock in his eyes.

"You can't be serious," he said, disgust boiling in his voice.

"As crazy as it sounds, it's true. He asked me if he could help me raise Logan and that he'd be the father that he should have been three years ago."

"What did you tell him?" He asked, looking at me in the eye.

"I told him off. What else could I do? Fall at his feet and beg him to come back? He got angry and started yelling. We yelled back and forth at each other until Logan came out. I told him to leave then. I didn't want him staying any longer."

"Well, good for you, Tifa. You've really changed, you know?"

I smiled at his comment because I knew he was right. I had changed. I nodded. "When Cloud left, it hit me. I had actually stood up to the man I thought I couldn't live without."

Red half smiled and swished his fiery tail. "Well, I guess fate has someone better for you."

I nodded and looked away from him. "I hope so. It'd be nice to have someone around who can be a father to Logan."

Red nodded and stretched. "Don't worry, Tifa. You'll be fine. You've lasted three years raising a son on your own."

I smiled. "Thanks, Red," I replied, hugging him tightly. "All of you have been so helpful."

"Tifa, you're the main person that held Avalanche together when it was falling apart. You helped all of us, helping you with Logan was our way of paying you back."

I smiled and looked away from him, remembering the time that Barret and Marlene came to stay with me. At the time, I was still pregnant with Logan, only a few weeks away from my due date. Barret decided to stay with me when Logan was born so he could help me get things on track. I remember coming home from the hospital and walking into my house with my new baby. Everyone threw confetti at me and yelled 'Congratulations!' I was never so happy in my entire life.

I laughed, which caused the red beast next to me to perk his ears up. I saw his expression. "Just remembering."

He smiled and lay back down. A few silent moments passed by when Red's mate, Nairi, padded out of the star display room and looked around thoughtfully. She saw me and smiled.

"Hi, Nairi," I said, scratching one of her ears.

"Hello, Tifa," she replied in her sweet, gentle voice. "Have you seen my cubs?"

"They're outside playing with Logan."

Red opened one of his eyes and looked at his mate. "Hello, my dear," he said, licking her cheek.

"Hello, yourself," she said, playfully ruffling his hair with one of her paws.

Red huffed and swiped some of the hair away from his eyes. "Yes, I love you too," he said in a sarcastic voice.

Nairi smiled and walked out of the observatory to check on the cubs. Red sighed when she disappeared. "She really is something else. Never thought I'd find another one of my kind that acted exactly like me."

"Well, she's the only grown female of your kind left on this planet that isn't related to you. Beggars can't be choosers," I said, fixing Red's frizzy mane.

"I guess not," he said, resting his head back on my lap.

Nairi came back in with Logan and the cubs a while later. I decided since Red and Nairi were letting me stay with them I could at least do something for them so I got up and rummaged around in the fridge, looking for something I could cook.

After many protests from Red and Nairi telling me I didn't have to cook I finally persuaded them to let me. I managed to get enough beef and vegetables together to make stir-fry. Red, Nairi and all the cubs loved it. Logan had eaten my stir-fry many times before so it was nothing new to him.

After dinner was finished, I washed all the dishes and put the remaining stir-fry into a plastic bowl so Red and his family could have more if they wanted to. I gave Logan a quick bath before putting him to bed. I wanted him to get as much sleep as he possibly could so he could enjoy our little vacation a lot more.

Nairi, Red and I stayed up for a little while longer to talk. Nairi knew nothing of what had gone on during the time of Sephiroth, Meteor and also what had gone on with me. Red and I relayed as much of our story that we could until it was my turn to do the story telling.

"So, Tifa," Nairi said, snuggling up next to Nanaki. "Why exactly is your son's father not around?"

"He made it very clear to me that he wanted no part in raising our child. He acted as though it was some major inconvenience."

Nairi sat staring at me for many moments before she turned her head to look at her mate. She looked back at me with a dumbfounded look in her bright yellow eyes. "How could he say or do something like that? In our civilization, the one you mate with is your mate for life. There is no divorce, as you humans call it."

"You don't know how much I wish our society was like that."

I went to bed shortly after. Fatigue had begun to set in and getting a good night's sleep was the only thing on my mind.

When I awoke the next morning, Logan was already up, downstairs playing with the cubs no doubt. I descended the ladder and the glorious smell of fresh coffee filled my senses. I turned and looked at Red who was sitting at the coffee table, looking at the paper.

"Who made the coffee?" I asked, sitting across from him and running my fingers through my tangled hair.

"I had one of the elders prepare it for me. Help yourself."

I smiled and got up from my spot at the table. I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it to the brim with the hot black liquid before sitting back down, carefully sipping at it so it wouldn't burn my mouth.

"Oh," Red said, looking up at me from his paper. "Nairi took Logan and the cubs down into town to get some breakfast. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course," I said, blowing on my coffee.

I grabbed a magazine that was sitting on the edge of the table and began flipping through it idly. Nairi walked back inside the Observatory with Logan and cubs running in behind her.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Logan cried, excitedly, running towards me and violently tugging on my pajama shirt.

"What, Logan?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Auntie Nari said we could go look at the chocobos later! Is that okay, Mommy?" He asked, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

I smiled then looked up at Nairi and gave her a look that said 'you just dug yourself in a hole, so you better dig yourself back out.' She winked and walked past me, into the star display room. The cubs pulled Logan away and urged him to go outside and play with them. He obliged happily and left Red and I alone once again.

Without looking up from his paper, Red spoke. "Do you need to take a shower?"

I grabbed a long strand of my hair and toyed with it. "Yes, I do."

"You may use the shower here if you wish," he said, finally looking up.

"Is that alright?" I asked, making a move to get up.

"Of course. You are our guests." He looked back down at his paper. "We must make you feel at home here."

"Thanks, Red," I said, smiling.

I got up and climbed the ladder to the guestroom and retrieved a pair of denim shorts and a red tank top to wear, along with clean undergarments, before walking into the bathroom.

I showered and redressed, drying my hair as best as I could with the towel then carefully dragging a brush through it to get all the tangles out of it. Then I grabbed my blow dryer and stood drying my hair for half an hour. I ran my brush through my hair again before tying it back loosely and descending the ladder.

I found Logan sitting on the couch, intently looking at a book he found, with the cubs laying around him. He looked up and smiled at me, waving.

I waved back and kneeled next to him. "You wanna go ride chocobos soon?" I asked, running my hand through his hair.

He nodded. "Yeah," he said, smiling. He looked down at the slumbering cubs and put his small index finger to his mouth. "Shh, they're sleeping."

I looked down at little Seto and rubbed his back, causing him to roll over and purr contentedly. "Okay, we'll go in a little while."

He nodded then went back to looking at the book that was sitting in his lap. I rose from my kneeling position and stood in thought for a few more moments before deciding to take a walk outside. I walked out into the brisk morning air of Cosmo Canyon and leaned against the metal railing at the edge of the platform, gazing down at the small town before me.

I inhaled deeply, letting the wind blow my hair gently around my face. I was unaware of the presence behind me and jumped when the person spoke, whirling around only to come face to face with Reno. My jaw dropped and I hit him on the chest.

"What the hell, Reno?" I said, exasperated.

He shrugged. "Sorry 'bout that. Didn't know you were so jumpy."

I put my hands on my hips and scoffed. "Only when the other person has no clue that you're standing behind them. What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Rocket Town?"

Reno's face turned sour as he looked away from me. "Well, Elena and Rude…..we got together as planned and sat around drinking like we always used to but they left early this morning. Don't know why," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and kicking a small rock over the side. "Damned shame."

"So, you decided to come early?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the railing.

"Yeah, guess you're stuck with me, Lockheart," he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes and was getting ready to say some smartass comment when the door to the Observatory opened. I looked over Reno's shoulder to see the top of my son's blonde head running towards me.

I looked down at him as he stopped and grabbed onto my tank top. "Can we go ride chocobos now?" He asked, looking up at me expectantly.

I nodded. "Sure."

He clapped his hands and giggled then began to run toward the ladder that led into town.

"Hey!" Reno said, turning around and looking at Logan. "No hello for me!"

He looked at Reno, finally noticing him for his mind was otherwise occupied, then ran toward him and wrapped his arms around one of legs; catching the red headed Turk off guard. "Hi, Unca Reno!" He said, looking at him and smiling.

He smiled then kneeled down and ruffled his hair. "Hey kiddo!"

Logan looked up at me then pointed at Reno. "Is Unca Reno gonna ride chocobos with us too?"

My brow furrowed as I looked at Reno. He turned to look at me before rising then looked back at Logan. "Not today, sport. I got other things I need to do."

"Oh," Logan said, disappointed only for a second before rushing towards me. "Come on, Mommy!"

"Okay, we're going!" I said, following him to the ladder.

I looked at Reno one last time before following my son down the ladder. He ran ahead of me out of the canyon and over to the chocobo stables, jumping up and down in front of one of the stalls.

The chocobo tenant walked toward me. "Would you like to rent a chocobo?" He asked, smiling.

"Yes, actually. You can ask my son which one he wants," I said, indicating the bubbling two year old who was bouncing in anticipation.

The man walked toward Logan and kneeled in front of him. "Hello, young man," he said, patting him on the shoulder. "Which chocobo would you like to ride?"

"This one!" Logan said, pointing to the stall he was standing in front of.

The tenant rose and looked into the stall and smiled. He walked in and came out moments later with a deep fire red chocobo that was saddled up and ready to go. "Here ya go, ma'am!" He said, handing me the reigns. "Her name's Firecracker. She can have a pretty bad temper at times but other than that she's a really mellow chocobo."

"Thank you," I said, accepting the reigns. "How much to rent her?"

"Free of charge, ma'am," he said, looking down at Logan. "For the little guy here."

I smiled, Logan seemed to have that kind of charm on people. "Thank you very much."

He nodded before walking back into the canyon. I turned to Logan and helped him onto Firecracker's back before climbing on as well.

"Where are we going?" He asked, half turning his seat.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Let's just ride around."

He nodded and grabbed onto my hands so he could feel what he was like to control a chocobo. I spurred Firecracker forward and ran around the canyon. Logan was thoroughly enjoying himself, I could tell. This was the first time he'd ever ridden on a chocobo going so fast. I thought it would scare him at first but I was wrong. He loved it.

We rode around the canyon and forest area for quite a while before returning to the canyon. When I handed the reigns back to the tenant I looked at my watch and stared at it. It couldn't possibly be three o'clock. We left the canyon at 11:30. Wow, time sure flies.

I picked Logan up and made my way back up to the Observatory. Riding Firecracker around the canyon for that long had tired me out considerably and a nap sounded quite heavenly.

When I walked through the door, I saw Reno sitting on the couch, watching the cubs roll around on the floor. The cubs looked up at us and nearly tackled me trying to get to Logan.

"Can we play?" Nayo asked, putting his tiny paws on my shin.

"Of course you can," I said, laughing. "Let me put him down first."

I set Logan down on the ground and watched as he dashed outside with the cubs. I looked back at Reno who was lounging on the couch.

"So," he said, putting his hands behind his head. "How'd it go?"

"Logan had a lot of fun," I said, taking a deep breath.

"Hey, look what I found," he said, leaning forward and giving me a slip of paper.

I looked at it and read the black words on it:

**Attention!**

_Tonight only the famous comedian Johnny "Slapstick" Capone is going to be here in Cosmo Canyon! Get your tickets while you can! They're selling fast!_

I smiled. I had always wanted to see him do one of his stand up gigs. "Wow, I've always wanted to watch him!"

"Do you want to go?" Reno asked.

I looked up at him. "Of course!" He nodded and dug into one of his back pockets, revealing two tickets. "Reno, you already have tickets?" I asked, taking them from his hand and looking at them.

He nodded. "Bought 'em after I found the flyer. Figured you'd wanna got to something like this."

I looked at him and smiled genuinely at him. "Reno, you shouldn't have done this," I said, handing the tickets back to him.

"Don't worry about it," he said, waving a hand in the air. "You look like you haven't had a good laugh in a while and figured you needed it."

"Thanks, Reno," I said, smiling again. I looked at my watch. "When does it start?"

"Not until seven," he said, pulling the tickets back out to confirm what he just said. "Yeah, it starts at seven."

"Is it okay if I go take a nap? I'm kinda tired."

"Yeah, knock yourself out." He paused. "No pun intended. I'll come get ya if you sleep too long."

I nodded before climbing the ladder to get to the guestroom. I slipped the flip-flops I was wearing off my feet and slid under the covers, closing my eyes and sighing.

My initial thoughts about Reno were beginning to turn. Maybe he had changed after all…..nah.


	7. Comedy Circle

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own FFVII…we'll leave it at that…

**Author's Note:**

Well, here it is! Hope you like this chapter! When you're done let me know how I did! I want to know if I did good or bad!

* * *

I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back, yawing lazily. I lifted my wrist to look at my watch and looked at it in surprise. It was 6:12. It didn't feel like I had been sleeping for three hours.

I stretched and decided to get up. Reno would probably want to go soon. I pushed the warm covers off of me and got out of bed, slipping my feet back into my sandals. I walked into the bathroom and brushed out all the tangles in my hair before going back downstairs.

Reno was still sitting on the couch, he had the evening paper sprawled about on his lap and was looking at it intently. He looked up at me then gathered the paper and rose from the couch, placing the pile of papers back down where he had been sitting.

I stared at it; full knowing that Red loved to read the evening paper. I sighed and walked toward it, putting it together before placing it on the coffee table. "If Red had seen that, he would have gone crazy."

Reno shrugged. "He could have put it back together himself." I gave him a look of pure astonishment. Was he for real? Reno saw my look and chuckled. "What? I'm just screwin' with your head, Lockheart," he said, reaching up and ruffling my hair.

I sighed and blew a few stray strands out of my eyes. "I just brushed that, thank you."

"Any time," he said, smiling. "Come on." He patted me on the shoulder before walking to the door.

I sighed again and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to tame it as best as I could. I followed Reno out and walked with him to the small bar that Johnny was performing at. Reno showed our tickets to a girl standing at the door then walked ahead of me pulling me along behind him. We sat down at a small two-person table close enough to the small stage.

A waitress came by a few moments later and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Reno nodded. "Just bring two glasses of red wine." The waitress nodded and walked away. Reno looked at me. "Is that alright?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I have a craving for wine anyways."

The waitress returned with the wine and Reno grabbed some bills out of his wallet and handed them to her before sipping his wine. I picked up my glass and took a sip. I pulled it back, awed at the intensity of the flavor.

Reno smirked when he saw the look on my face. "Never had Cosmo Canyon red wine, huh?"

I shook my head, taking another sip. "No, I never thought it tasted this good."

I looked up and smiled as the lights around dimmed and the stage lights lit up. An announcer's voice came over the speakers. "And now, ladies and gentlemen! The man of the hour! Johnny "Slapstick" Capone!"

Johnny walked out onto the stage and waved as he grabbed the microphone. He greeted us warmly and wasted no time in getting his gig started.

Two hours later, Johnny left the stage leaving the crowd in a state of hysterical laughter. Everyone rose out of their seats and applauded even though he was no longer visible. I was still laughing and I couldn't stop. Everything he said was quite blunt but it was true. It would have been a shame if I had missed it.

Reno and I finished our wine before walking out of the bar. We strode toward the Eternal Flame that stood in the middle of the small town and watched the flames flicker. "So, uh," Reno said, scratching the back of his head. "Did you like it?"

I nodded, still staring in the fire. "Oh, I loved it! I've heard stories but I never thought he was so funny!" I replied, still giggling at some of the things he had said.

"Cool," he simply said, turning back and gazing at the dancing flames.

I thought for a few moments before turning to him. "Well, I better be getting back. Thanks again, Reno."

He nodded, still staring intently into the fire. "No problem. I'll see ya."

I nodded and walked away nonchalantly.


	8. Mixed Feelings

**Disclaimer:**

.x.Looks at watch.x. I predict that I'll own Final Fantasy VII when the sun veers off its orbit and crashes into the Earth. In other words, never. Don't even go there...

**Author's Note:**

But here's the next chapter! And please don't kill me! I probably should have written more but I decided just to leave it here. Hope you like what I came up with!

* * *

I stumbled into the Observatory moments later. Red was lying on the floor looking at the paper and when he saw me he smiled warmly and got up to greet me.

"So, how'd it go?" He asked, sitting down in front of me.

"It was great!" I said, walking around him and sitting on the couch. "I never thought that comedian was so funny."

"Well," Red said, coming to sit in front of me. "I'm glad you had a good time. I'll see you in the morning, Tifa."

With that he told me goodnight and walked into the star display room to join his cubs and his mate. I rose from the couch and stretched before climbing up the ladder to the guest room. Logan was wrapped up in the blankets, sleeping soundly. I smiled and kissed him gently on the forehead before going into the bathroom to change.

I stood in front of the mirror and brushed my hair before I turned the light off and climbed in bed next to Logan. He moaned and turned over on his stomach, hugging his pillow. I settled myself into the covers and closed my eyes, trying desperately to fall asleep.

The next morning, I got up and quickly got into the shower, needing to wash my hair. I put the same shorts on that I had worn the previous day and pulled out a small light blue blouse. After stepping into my sandals I climbed down the ladder. Red was sitting in his usual spot at the table looking over the paper and Logan was sitting with the cubs on the floor, petting them while he held his plush chocobo in his lap.

I walked over to him and kneeled down, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, little man," I said, smiling as I smoothed his hair out of his face.

"Hi, Mommy," he said in a hushed voice.

"Did you sleep okay?" I asked, sitting down in front of Nayo and placing him comfortably in my lap.

He nodded. "I woke up and had to go to the bathroom though," he said, moving over and petting Kalla.

"That's okay." I giggled as I scratched Nayo's stomach.

"How's Unca Reno?" Logan asked.

I looked down and held one of Nayo's tiny paws in my hand before looking up at my son and smiling. "He's alright, sweetie. He's just fine."

Logan smiled when he heard this, going back to petting Kalla. I looked over at Red who was still staring intently at his paper. I half smiled at the sight of the large cat before walking into the star display room. Nairi was sitting amongst a pile of pillows reading a book. She heard the door open and looked up. She smiled when she saw me before placing a slip of paper where her spot was and sliding the book off to the side.

"Good morning, Tifa," she said as I sat next to her. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well, actually," I said, grabbing my hair and putting it all over one shoulder. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What's that?" She asked, blinking her bright yellow eyes.

"I've noticed you've spent a lot of your time in here. Can I ask why?"

Nairi nodded and laid her head down on her paws. "Nanaki didn't tell you did he?" She asked, a smile in her voice.

I frowned and shook my head. What could she mean? "Tell me what?" I asked, intrigued.

"I'm in the second trimester of my next litter," she said, her eyes glittering proudly.

I gasped. That was wonderful news! "Oh, Nairi! Congratulations! How much longer?"

"Well," she said, thinking. "Gestation for my species usually takes eleven to twelve months."

"Wow," I said, trying to imagine being pregnant for a year. "That long?"'

She nodded then opened her mouth to say something more but was stopped when Nanaki pushed the door open and walked through. "Tifa," he said, sitting next to his mate. "Reno is here to see you. He's out in the living room talking to Logan."

I turned back to Nairi and placed my hand on her paw before getting up and walking toward the door. I was getting ready to push the door open when I heard Reno speak up.

"So, how'd ya sleep last night, sport?" Reno asked Logan.

"Pretty good. I got up once to go to the bathroom and heard Mommy crying."

I frowned, thinking back. Come to think of it, I vaguely remember crying somewhat.

Reno remained quiet for a few seconds before clearing his throat. "Do you know why she was crying?" He asked, sounding reluctant to hear the little boy's answer.

"I don't know," Logan replied, simply. "She wasn't even making any noise. Tears were just coming out of her eyes and she was gripping the covers. I didn't want to wake her up so I went back to bed."

Reno grew quite once again and I bit the corner of my lip, pushing the door open and immediately walking into the small kitchen, reaching up into a cupboard for a glass before filling it with water. I took a sip and, with a shaky hand, set it down on the counter. I knew without looking that Reno was looking directly at me. I could practically feel his eyes on me. I willed my eyes to stay away from his gaze.

I wished silently that I could just disappear.

I heard Reno get up and walk around behind me. I covered my face with my hands and breathed in deeply; maybe if I just ignored him he'd go away.

My silent plea went unanswered as he gently put his hand on my shoulder and turned me around. Once I was facing him, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. I complied, not really having the will power to pull away from him.

He cleared his throat. "What were you crying about?"

"I don't really know," I answered. "I'm prone to crying a lot these days."

Nothing more was said for quite a while before I realized that I was in the arms of the last man I would ever consider being with. I put a hand on his chest and gently pushed away from him, walking away and kneeling in front of my son.

"Hi, sweetie," I said, placing a hand on his cheek. "What do you wanna do today?"

He looked into my eyes for a few moments before speaking. "I wanna go see the ocean here."

I smiled. He loved going to the beach and playing in the sand. "Sure, let's go get ready," I said, picking him up and walking to the ladder. I placed him on it and watched him climb up until he stepped off at the top before looking over at Reno who was still standing in the same place. "You wanna come with us?" I asked, walking towards him.

He shrugged before walking over to the couch and plopping down onto it. "I'll think about it," he said, looking away from me.

I stared at Reno for a few seconds before rolling my eyes and climbing up the ladder. Once I stepped off, I found Logan standing in front of his suitcase with tears in his eyes. "Mommy, I forgot my swim trunks!" He wailed.

I strode over to him and picked him up, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "Oh, don't cry, sweetie," I said, kissing him on the forehead as I walked over to my suitcase, pulling out a pair of bright yellow swim trunks. "I got them right here."

His eyes immediately dried, a smile replaced the frown, as he plucked the swimming trunks from my hand and hugged them to his chest. "Thank you, Mommy!" He said, kissing me on the cheek. "I love you!"

I set him down on the floor as I fished my swimsuit out of the suitcase. "I love you too, sweetheart. Go get changed so Mommy can too."

He nodded and dashed into the bathroom, emerging seconds later in his swim trunks. I gave him his favorite shirt to wear to the beach, a small black tank top, before walking into the bathroom with my swimsuit. It was just a simple red bikini that had a floral print stitched on the front of the bottoms and the top in white thread. Nothing to flashy, like I needed any more attention.

I pulled out the long white skirt I had packed last minute and put it on. Then I went in search of a shirt that matched. I finally decided on a red halter-top then walked into the bathroom and pulled my hair up into a loose ponytail.

Logan was sitting on the bed, swinging his feet back and forth. I walked over to him and sat next to him. "Do you want to wear your sandals or your shoes?" I asked, leaving it up to him.

"Sandals," he said, continuing to swing his feet.

"Okay, sandals it is," I replied, walking over to my suitcase and pulling his small flip-flops out.

I handed him his as I stepped into mine then grabbed the suntan lotion and began to rub some into my son's skin. Once I was done, I put some on as well but still decided to bring the bottle just in case. "Do you want to bring one of the cameras?" I asked, digging one out of the suitcase.

He nodded and hopped off the bed, waddling towards me and taking the camera from my hand. "I'll carry it."

"Okay," I said, smiling as I ran my hand through his hair. "Let's go. Reno might want to come with us."

His face brightened immediately. "Really?"

I nodded and climbed down the ladder and stood at the bottom, waiting for Logan to safely step off before I picked him up. Reno was still sitting on the couch with the same sour look on his face. Logan squirmed out of my arms and ran toward Reno, climbing onto the couch.

"Unca Reno!" Logan said, patting him on the shoulder. Reno turned to look at Logan and the sour look on his face immediately melted as he smiled at him. "Are you gonna come to the beach with me and Mommy?"

Reno looked at Logan for a few seconds before turning his eyes to me. I curved one corner of my mouth up into a half-smile as he looked back at Logan. "Sure, kiddo. I don't have anything to wear though."

"That's okay," Logan said, bouncing up and down on the couch. "You don't to go in the water. My Mommy usually doesn't. She can stay with you."

I smiled at what Logan had just volunteered me for. But he was right; I usually don't go in the water. Logan hopped off the couch and walked over to me, tugging on my skirt. "Mommy, I forgot my towel."

"Go get it," I said, patting him on the shoulder as he ran by me. I turned back to Reno, looking up at and down his body. "Do you wanna change into something more comfortable?" I suggested. "It's pretty warm out there to wear a suit."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I guess I could," he said, turning around and walking to the door.

"We'll wait for you by the chocobo stables, okay?" I called after him.

"Sure thing." He opened the door and closed it behind him.

I just stood staring at the door with a disappointed and very unhappy look on my face. To tell the truth, Reno's behavior was having a negative effect on me. But, Reno will be Reno.

Logan came clattering down the ladder and a disappointed look appeared on his face. "Where'd Unca Reno go?"

I looked down at my son. "He went to go change."

His face immediately brightened. "Is he gonna swim with us after all?" Logan asked, wrapping his arms around my leg.

I shrugged as I picked him up. "I don't know. Maybe." I walked towards the door and pulled it open. "We're gonna meet Reno by the chocobo stables."

"Okay," he said as I placed him back on the ground so he could climb down the ladder. He was surprisingly good at it so I wasn't as worried as I had been when we arrived.

I began climbing down after him and he made it down safely. Once we were both back on the ground I picked him back up and walked out of the canyon towards the chocobo stables. To my surprise and amazement, Reno was already there. He was wearing a dark blue polo with faded denim jeans and a pair of black flip-flops. I stared at him like I was seeing him for the first time. I had _never_ seen Reno wear anything else besides his Turk suit.

Reno smirked when he saw the look on my face. "Is this to her Highness' liking?"

I gave Reno a skeptical look as I set Logan down on the ground. "I'm just surprised to see you wearing something besides your Turk suit, that's all." _Yeah, and I never I thought I'd be admitting this to myself, but he looks a lot more attractive wearing casual clothes. _I looked away from him with a wide-eyed expression on my face. _Hold the phone, what did I just think? Lockheart, you're losing it. _

I cleared my throat and looked at Logan who was standing over near the stalls talking to the chocobo handler that had identified himself as Lyman. He introduced himself when Logan and I brought Firecracker back the day we rented him. He seemed like a really nice man. He could be quiet and extremely introverted at times but he enjoyed what he did and had fun doing it. He even told me the only companionship he needed were the chocobos he takes care of. He had raised them from little hatchlings and told me that they had become some of his best friends.

I smiled at the thought. Chocobos were really amazing creatures. Once one of the giant birds gets to know you and recognize you, you got a friend for life.

"Mommy!" Logan said, running to my side. "I wanna take Firecracker again!"

I looked down at him and smiled. "That's alright."

He laughed and ran back to Lyman, telling him which chocobo we were going to rent. Lyman smiled at Logan before looking at Reno. "Which one do you want, sir?"

"How about that green one over there?" Reno said, pointing to a dark green chocobo who was preening one of its wings.

"Oh, Clover? Sure you can take her." Lyman walked into Clover's pen and got her saddled up before leading her out and handing the reigns to Reno. He smiled at me before going into Firecracker's pen and getting her ready as well. "Here you go, miss," he said, handing Firecracker's reigns to me. "You folks have fun now!"

"Thanks, Lyman, we will!" I said, hefting Logan onto Firecracker's back before settling myself on the saddle.

I looked at Reno who rode Clover up beside me. I flashed him a small smile before spurring Firecracker toward the beach.


	9. Salt Water Tear Drops

**Disclaimer:**

Nope, still don't own it...legally anyways...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, I got this chapter up a little ahead of schedule! But that's good right? Of course it is! Things heat up between Reno and Tifa in this chapter! Please review once you're done! There's a button down there that needs some lovin'!

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

I climbed off Firecracker's back and lifted Logan off as well. He took his shirt off and gave it to me before running towards the surf. He squealed when the cold water touched his feet and ran back toward me. "Mommy, the water's cold!" He exclaimed, latching onto me.

"Well, of course!" I said, kneeling next to him. "Did you expect it to be warm?"

He giggled before running back towards the water. I placed Logan's shirt on Firecracker's back before lifting my halter-top over my head. I turned to Reno who was standing next to Clover, watching Logan run around on the wet sand. I walked over to him and stopped in front of him.

He diverted his attention away from Logan and focused on me. I cocked my head to the side in thought. "Are you okay now?" I asked. I guess my question caught him off guard for he just stood there in a stupor. "You didn't really seem like yourself earlier."

"Oh, that," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I just figured I should stop being a such a shit head."

I chuckled at his comment. "Well, you do do that well," I said, sitting down next to Firecracker who warked and laid down as well.

"What? Being a shit head?" He asked, like he didn't know what I was trying to get at.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "No, Reno, being a very orthodox gentlemen." I paused and let my own smartass comment sink in before speaking up again. "Of course being a shit head, Reno. What do you think?" He shrugged and managed a crooked smile before turning his head and watching Logan skip around collecting seashells. I studied his face for a few moments, a smile coming to my lips. "You're quite taken with my little boy, aren't you, Reno?"

He didn't reply for a few silent moments. "I guess," he said, crossing his legs underneath him. "I've never been all that good with kids though. Probably won't make a very good father one of these days."

"You never know until you try," I said, grabbing my shirt and placing it on the sand behind me so I could lie on my elbows without scratching them up. I looked over at Reno.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not so sure if I want to try. I've never been able to hold a relationship longer than a few days. Maybe I'm just one of those people that are destined to stay single their whole life."

"Well," I started, hoping my topic would at least cheer him up a little. "I was taught that everyone on the planet has their own special someone somewhere out there and all they have to do is wait for them."

He shrugged again. "Eh, relationships aren't for me. I can't see me actually settling down anytime in the near future."

I rolled my eyes. Reno didn't pull off "Rico Suave" very well at all.

I looked away from him to watch Logan run around in the water. He squealed and almost fell over when a small wave hit him. I laughed as I watched him run after a receding wave then run back up the shore as fast as his little legs could carry him so another incoming wave wouldn't hit him. I was concentrating so hard on watching my son that I didn't hear Reno speak up.

"Are you serious about what you said?" He asked, staring at me seriously.

I frowned and looked at him with confusion etched on my face. "What did I say?"

"You know, about me being a good father one of these days," he replied, looking away and scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Reno, like I said, you'll never know until you try it. I didn't think I'd be a very good mother, but here I am. I've raised Logan all by myself and he hasn't turned into a serial killer yet."

He nodded and stared at the ground in front of him, getting lost in thought. I twisted and grabbed the sun tan lotion bottle from where I had placed it and began to put some more lotion on my face. After I thought I had it all rubbed in, I looked at Reno. "Did I get it all?"

He studied my face and a small grin formed on his lips as he reached up and wiped some remaining lotion that had been on the tip of my nose. I smiled and brought my hand up to my face to make sure I got it all before placing the bottle back in the sand.

Reno and I sat in revered silence for quite a while before I got up. I pushed the skirt off of me and began to walk toward my son.

I neither saw nor heard Reno get up, but before I could register what had happened, Reno had scooped me up into his arms and was beginning to walk toward the water at a fast pace. I looked at him with a wide-eyed expression on my face as I realized what he was going to do.

"Reno!" I said, trying to squirm out of his grip. "No! Don't you dare throw me in!" My cries went unheard as he got closer and closer to the surf. "Reno, I swear if you throw me in I'm taking you with me!"

He stopped and began to swing me back and forth in preparation but when he let go of me I latched onto his neck and brought him down with me into the freezing water. I landed with a small splash in the knee-deep water but as I began to get up a wave washed over me.

I sat in shock of the intense cold of the water but my shock soon melted into glee when I saw Reno sitting a few feet away from me just as soaked as I was. He narrowed his eyes as he pushed his sopping wet hair out of his face. "Now you're gonna get it, Lockheart," he threatened.

"Oh yeah?" I replied, challenging him. "Well, you gotta catch me first."

With that I sprang up out of the freezing water and sprinted off down the beach. I could hear Reno behind me, which only made me run faster. I dared to look behind me and gasped when I saw that he was only a few feet behind me and was gaining fast. I began to pump my legs harder, running out of the surf and onto the sand.

I felt one of Reno's hands swipe against my arm, making me veer off to the right heading back into the water. I was about to turn around and head back in the other direction when Reno jumped at me. I saw him out of the corner of my eye and tried to dodge him, which only caused me to lose my footing and go tumbling into the water.

I felt two strong arms wrap around me and lift me out of the freezing water. I began laughing as soon as my head surfaced. This only caused Reno to almost drop me for he had also begun to laugh, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop laughing and, apparently, neither could he.

He lost his balance and fell to the ground with me on top of him. We continued laughing like that for who knows how long. As our laughing diminished, I found myself staring intently into Reno's eyes. His brow furrowed as he brought one of his hands up and grazed my cheek with the pads of his fingers before placing his hand on the back of my head. I realized what he was doing but I couldn't bring myself to pull away from him. It was like some mysterious force was holding me in place as our faces got progressively closer.

Then an awkward thought appeared in my head. What if I wanted this?

Right before his lips were going to brush against mine, I backed up and placed my fingers over his mouth. _What was I about to do? Have I totally lost all competent thought? _

Reno gazed into my eyes with a mixture of confusion and disappointment. "Tifa – "

"No, Reno," I said, immediately cutting him off. "I can't. I just can't."

I quickly got off of Reno and stared to walk away from him but froze when I saw my son standing ten feet away. Logan gave me a confused look as I walked up to him. "Why were you laying on Unca Reno?"

I walked toward him and picked him up. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart."

I almost felt compelled to look behind me to look at Reno but I didn't want to see that look of rejection again.

"Mommy!" Logan called. I looked up at him. "Come here, Mommy!"

I smiled as I got up and walked toward him. He ran up to me and handed me something. "Look what I found!"

He held up a fairly large shell that looked like a clam or oyster. It was intact so I pried it open with my fingernails and smiled. My initial thoughts were true. I kneeled down next to my son and showed him the inside of the shell. "Look, Logan," I said, pointing to a round object nestled in the middle of the shell. "It's a pearl."

His mouth made a perfect 'o' as he reached down and carefully plucked the pearl from the shell. "Wow," he said, placing it in the middle of his palm. He stared at it intently before looking up at me. "Can I keep it?"

"Of course you can," I said, kissing him on the cheek. "Here, put it back so you don't lose it."

He placed the pearl back and I shut the shell. Reno walked up to me. "I can hold it for Logan," he said, placing his hand in front of me with his palm open.

I looked up at him for a few brief moments before nodding and placing it in his hand. I watched him slip it into his pocket then looked back over at Logan. The little blonde caught my gaze and ran up to me. "Mommy, I wanna go back now. I'm tired."

"Okay," I said, grabbing his small hand. "Let's go get dried off."

He nodded and smiled as he walked with me back to the chocobos. He slipped his sandals back on his feet and grabbed his towel, handing it to me so I could dry him off. I wiped him off before slipping his black tank top over his head then I proceeded to dry myself off. Once I was dry and all the sand was off of me, I put my skirt and tank top back on then put Logan on Firecracker's back. I picked up the lotion and the camera.

_Oh! I forgot to take pictures!_

But I froze; seeing that the camera no longer was wrapped in the plastic it came in. I looked at the small indicator that was next to the button that was used to take the picture. The indicator said that ten of the twenty-seven pictures had been used up. I frowned; Logan must have taken the pictures.

In that case, I smiled. I loved looking at the pictures he took. They were usually of random things and his fingers were usually in the picture as well. I handed the camera and lotion bottle to him then climbed onto Firecracker's back.

I watched Reno climb onto Clover's back stiffly for his clothes were still wet. I smiled at the look on his face but bit my lip to keep a chuckle from escaping. He had the most miserable look on his face, his hair was frizzy and all over the place; he was the picture of pity.

He caught my glance, which only made his face turn sour for he knew what the look on my face meant. "Keep smilin', Lockheart," he mumbled. "I'll get you back."

That made me giggle because I knew that Reno would get me back for his previous actions today. The way he would go about paying me back was beyond me.

We arrived back at the canyon around seven o'clock that evening. We returned the chocobos to Lyman then walked into the canyon. I started to walk in the direction of the Observatory when Reno stopped me.

"Hey, Tifa." I turned around and walked back toward him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away from me. "Can you meet me back down here in like twenty minutes?"

I frowned, a little bit confused. "Sure, why?" I asked, looking at Logan to find his eyes were closed.

"You'll find out," was all he said before he walked toward the inn.

I sighed, frustrated, but he had hooked my attention. I looked down at Logan before continuing. I walked through the Observatory door and climbed up the ladder with Logan in my arms. It wasn't easy, but I managed to get up it without falling off.

I got him out of his wet swim trunks and put a clean pair of underwear on him as well as a pair of shorts then wrapped him in the covers so he could sleep. I got out of my bathing suit and put on clean undergarments but kept the skirt and halter-top I had worn to the beach.

I ran my brush through my hair, succeeding in getting all the tangles out of it but ending up pulling most of it out. I looked in the mirror wondering if I should put some make-up on. My face didn't burn, surprisingly enough so I didn't have to worry about that.

"Screw it," I said, walking out of the bathroom.

I checked on Logan, making sure he was comfortable before climbing down the ladder and walking into the star display room. Red and Nairi were napping with the cubs. I tiptoed over to Red and tapped him on the shoulder. His yellow eyes opened and he lifted his head off of his paws and yawned.

"Oh, Tifa," he said quietly so he wouldn't disturb his family. "Come," he said, getting up. "Let's go talk in the other room." I nodded and followed him out. He sat on the floor in front of the couch and yawned again. "So, how was your day at the beach?"

"It was great," I said, sitting on the couch. "Logan loved it."

"That's good," Red said, climbing onto the couch next to me.

I looked at my watch and found that Reno would probably be waiting for me. "Hey, Red, I'm meeting Reno down near the inn."

He looked up at me and nodded. "Were is Logan?"

"He's upstairs sleeping," I replied, getting up from the couch. "Can you tell him where I went if he wakes up?"

"Of course. When will you be back?" He asked, scratching an ear.

"Not sure," I said, beginning to walk toward the door. "But I doubt I'll be gone long."

"Alright, enjoy yourself," he said, jumping down from the couch and walking back into the star display room.

I sighed and left the Observatory, still wondering what Reno's little 'surprise' was going to be.


	10. On The Road Again

**Disclaimer:**

You should know the drill by now...

**Author's Note: **

Sorry about the slow update time but it took me a lot of careful thought and planning to get the last part of this chapter written. Things should start to speed up between Tifa and Reno in upcoming chapters but still don't expect them to fall into each other's arms quite yet. I have something planned so don't worry bout nothing!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you enjoy Reno's surprise! It's nothing big mind you so don't expect nothing flashy!

* * *

I stopped outside the door where the small weapon's stand and Elder's quarters were and stood looking for Reno. Sure enough, I saw him standing in front of the Eternal Flame. He was once again in his navy blue Turk suit. Old habits die hard. I started to take a step down the stairs but stopped short. I was a little reluctant being alone with Reno. To tell the truth, I still felt a little awkward about our little encounter this afternoon. Plus, I'm not even entirely sure what his reaction when I didn't kiss him meant.

I sighed and resigned myself to my fate. I promised Reno I'm meet him down here; might as well carry through with it.

He looked up at me as I approached him. I folded my arms and cocked my head. "So, what's that big surprise?" I asked, hoping he didn't ask me down here just to screw with me.

"Oh, I was just wondering," he said, looking down at the ground. "Have you eaten anything lately?"

I cocked my head to side. Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten anything all day long and my hunger was starting to catch up with me. I looked back at Reno and shook my head. "No, I haven't," I replied simply.

"Well, would you like to get something to eat?" He asked seriously, looking into my eyes.

I smiled. "Reno, are you asking me out on a date?"

Reno's cheeks immediately flushed and he quickly looked away from me. "Well….uh…I don't know," he stuttered. "If that's what you wanna call it, sure."

I grinned, flattered by his gesture. "Sure, I'd love to."

He froze in place then slowly turned his head and eyes back towards me. "You would?" He said, almost like he was expecting me to say no and walk away.

I nodded. "Yeah, where did you wanna go?"

"There's a café down the street I eat breakfast at."

"Alright, that sounds nice."

"Cool," he said, as I fell in step beside him.

We arrived at the small café Reno had mentioned and sat at a two-person table out in the courtyard that over looked the canyon. "Wow," I said, admiring the sunset and the effect it had on the cliffs. "Now I know why you come here every morning." I looked at him and smiled before turning my attention back to the scenery. "It's beautiful."

He nodded and looked around at the spectacle with me until a waitress approached us and handed us some menus. Reno and I sat in silence until the waitress returned and took our drink and food orders before grabbing the menus and walking off to make the drinks.

I just got a soda; Reno got a beer.

The waitress returned moments later with our drinks then walked back off to check on her other tables.

Reno took a swig of his beer before placing it on the table in front of him as I sipped my soda through a straw.

"Did Logan fall asleep?" Reno asked, trying to strike up clever conversation.

I nodded and placed my glass down on the table. "Yeah, I got him dressed for bed and he fell asleep the second he hit the pillow."

He nodded and leaned back in his chair so the front two legs were off the ground. "Has Cloud talked to you since he left that night?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

I frowned. Where had that come from? "No, I haven't seen or heard anything of him." I paused, wondering if I should continue. "Hopefully he'll stay away this time."

He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table. "Why do you say that?"

I sighed. "If Cloud never wanted anything to do with me or Logan when he found out was pregnant then he should just stay away and find someone that can take care of him. I did it long enough." I stopped and took a deep breath. "Logan needs a father who'll be there for him, not someone who just walks out when we need him most."

Reno looked down at the table and nodded. Silence fell over us once again, that is, until the waitress brought us our food. We ate in silence until we were finished, paid then left.

We stood in front of the Eternal Flame. This time, instead of saying goodnight to Reno and walking back to the Observatory, I stood next to him and watched the flames dance around the smoldering logs.

A thought popped into my head and I looked over at the red head next to me. "So, how's that job of yours going?"

"Haven't started yet," he replied, keeping his eyes on the fire. "I start Wednesday morning."

I nodded and angled my head so I could see the Observatory. Hopefully Logan hadn't woken up to find me gone. I turned back to Reno. "Well, I better go. I have my to get my stuff together in the morning."

He looked at me and nodded. I was going to turn away from him and walk away but felt myself glued to the spot I was standing in. So, both of us stood staring at the other, making no move to leave or say good bye. I was about to step forward and give Reno a quick hug when he fully turned towards me and stepped closer. I lifted my head up so I was looking into his eyes but made no other move besides that one.

He lifted his hand up to my cheek and gently grazed his fingertips against my skin before grabbing my chin and pulling me closer to him. He stopped when our faces were mere millimeters apart. My fingers twitched, almost as if they wanted to lurch out and push Reno down the rest of the way. I pursed my lips as I stared into his eyes and as he made the move to kiss me, I pulled back yet again. I grabbed his hand from the place it rested beneath my chin and squeezed it gently before letting it go.

I gave him a small half-smile before turning around and walking away from him for the second time that day.

Once I got back to the Observatory, I went upstairs and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Logan was still fast asleep. Wanting nothing more then going to sleep, I quickly dressed and settled in bed next to him. As I drifted off to sleep the last image I saw was the same disappointed and heart-broken look on Reno's face that I had seen earlier and that alone was enough to jar me awake and leave me sleepless for another two hours.

I woke up the next morning and wasted no time in taking a shower. After I had dried my hair considerably with my towel, I wrapped it around my body and grabbed some clothes from my suitcase. I changed then began to straighten the suitcases up.

I ventured downstairs afterward to see what Logan was doing but he was nowhere to be found. I immediately became afraid, if he had woken up before anyone else and left, no telling where he would be right now.

I walked into the star display room, hoping that Logan would be in there. My breath caught in my throat when I all I saw was Red and his family. Red heard the door open and lifted his head from his paws. Upon seeing the distressed look on my face he got up and hastened towards me.

"What is it, Tifa?" He asked, sitting before me.

"Where's Logan?" I asked, fear evident in my voice.

Red only smiled and led me out of the room and into the kitchen. I sat down at the coffee table and stared at the large, fire red cat in front of me. "Logan went with Reno to get some breakfast."

I frowned. When had Reno come here? "When did he come here?" I asked.

"Around nine o'clock. You were in the shower and after he left with Logan I returned to bed. I'm sorry, I should have stayed up."

"No, it's alright, Red. Logan really likes Reno. Maybe I'll go join them."

I left the Observatory and made my way toward the café Reno and I had dinner at the previous night. I spotted them sitting at the same exact table as we did the night before and decided to stand in a non descript place so I could observe them.

I smiled as I saw what Reno had bought for breakfast. Him and Logan were sharing a mixed fruit plate. At least it wasn't pizza or any non-breakfast food of the sort. Reno finished eating a piece of cantaloupe then looked at Logan. "What kind of stuff does your Mom like?"

Logan looked down at the piece of fruit that he was getting ready to put in his mouth. "She likes strawberries," he said, looking up at Reno. "And peaches."

"Well, let's go get her something," he said, throwing some gil down on the table and getting up.

Logan hopped off of his chair then did something that made my jaw drop.

He ran up to Reno and grabbed his hand.

Then he looked up at him with a broad smile on his face. I watched them walk into the café before I went to stand in front of the Eternal Flame to wait for them. Even though it was almost noon the flames still gave off a glow that brightened the area.

I waited for a few moments before I heard my son's voice behind me. "Mommy!" I turned just as he reached me. I bent down and picked him up.

"Good morning, you!" I said, ruffling his hair.

Reno walked up to me and half smiled before handing me a strawberry and peach parfait. "Hungry?"

I smiled as I set my son back down on the ground and accepted the parfait. "Thank you, Reno." I popped off the lid and took the spoon he offered. "How'd you know I liked strawberries and peaches?" I asked, acting like I hadn't heard their conversation.

Reno smiled as he looked at my son. "Lucky guess."

I took a bite from the parfait and a contented smile crept onto my lips as I swallowed it. I heard Reno snicker and looked over at him. "What?" I asked, putting another bite in my mouth. "I haven't had one of these since I was pregnant with Logan."

"Why?" Reno asked, putting his hands behind his head.

I shrugged as I stirred the spoon around. "I guess it never occurred to me to have another one. I've really busy since I've had Logan. Life changes when you're a single mother."

We fell silent as I continued to eat my parfait. Reno cleared his throat. "Well, I gotta go get my crap together. I'll catch you guys later."

I nodded. "Alright, see you in a bit." I placed the spoon inside the parfait container and grabbed Logan's hand and walked with him up to the Observatory.

Once we got there, Logan went into the star display room to play with the cubs. Red walked out a few minutes later and stretched, yawning widely.

"Hello, Tifa," he said, walking towards me and sitting on the floor. He stared at the parfait in my hands. "Get yourself some breakfast?"

"Actually, Reno got it for me."

The red cat smiled. "It looks to me that he's quite taken with you."

I shrugged before going and sitting on the couch. "What makes you say that?" I asked, putting another spoonful of my parfait in my mouth.

Red smirked before hopping up onto the couch and lying next to me. He shrugged before speaking. "Call it animal instinct, I guess."

I rolled my eyes as I continued to eat my parfait. "Well, don't think anything of it," I said, digging a piece of strawberry out of the bottom.

I saw Red smirk out of the corner of my eye. "Whatever you say, Tifa," he said, closing his eyes.

I glanced at Red once more before eating the rest of my parfait in peace. Once finished, I threw the plastic cup and spoon away then decided to go see what Logan was doing. When I walked in, Nairi looked over at me and smiled as best as an animal can.

I was about to ask where Logan went when I saw the top of his blond head sticking out from behind her. I looked over her and found him holding Nairi's tail and waving one of his fingers through the flames on the end. I watched him as he passed his finger through the flames then stare intently at it like he was looking for something.

"What is it, sweetie?" I asked, kneeling beside him.

"The fire doesn't burn," he said, passing his finger through the fire once more.

Nairi looked back at Logan and whipped her tail out of his grip then wiggled it in his face. Logan giggled then collapsed onto her back and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Nairi."

Nairi looked up and licked Logan's face. "I love you too, Logan," she said, before resting her head back on her paws.

Logan giggled some more before he climbed off Nairi's back and ran over to me. "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as Cid gets here," I said, picking him up. "Come on. Let's make sure you have everything."

Logan went and inspected his suitcase as soon as he stepped off the stairs, opening it and sorting through the contents. Once he was done he zipped it back up and walked back over to me. "Okay," he said, hugging my legs. "I have everything."

"Alright, go get your bag so we can go wait for Cid."

He nodded and trotted over to where his suitcase was sitting and slung it over his shoulder. I grabbed my bags and tossed them down to the lower floor so I could climb down the ladder more easily then turned and took Logan's bag from him, doing the same with his.

I climbed down the ladder and hefted all the bags into one corner of the room then sat down on the couch and looked at the clock. It was almost one. Cid would be arriving soon, hopefully.

I was sitting reading a magazine when Cid strolled in the door. When Logan saw him he got up and dashed over, wrapping his arms around his legs. "Cid!" Logan exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, tiny!" Cid said, bending down and lifting Logan into his arms. He closed the door with his foot and walked toward me. "How you been, girl?" He asked, setting Logan down on the couch next to me.

I placed the magazine I had been reading on the table then turned toward Cid. "Just fine. I really needed this time off."

"I bet you did. You've been workin' your ass off. You deserved it." He crossed his arms and stared down at me. "What about Reno though? Has he been treatin' ya right?"

"Of course," I said, getting up from the couch. "A lot better than I would have thought."

He nodded. "Well, as long as he's not mistreatin' you. We don't need a Spike repeat." He turned around and grabbed my bags before walking out of the Observatory closely followed by Logan.

I sighed. He was right. We didn't need another Cloud repeat. I wouldn't be able to handle something like that again and it would just make Cid and Barret even angrier than before. I didn't want everyone to feel as though they needed to protect me. I'm a grown woman after all and I have a son to think about. I can't be wallowing in my self-pity over a relationship gone bad.

I turned and walked into the star display room to say my last good byes to Red and his family before I left the Observatory. I had almost reached the Highwind when I stopped in my tracks and looked back up at the canyon as a thought occurred to me.

Where was Reno?


	11. Homeward

**Disclaimer: **

Refer to previous chapter's disclaimers...

**Author's Note:**

Geez, sorry bout the slow update time!(Yet again...) Anyhoo, I hope you like this chapter! Yes, I know it's long but I was reading it and was like "Yeah, chapter break right here is good..."

So, I hope you like this chapter! Send me feedback please! I wanna know if you guys are still out there reading this! Oh and to all you people who haven't reviewed! Please make yourselves known! I have a shitload of hits on this story and I wanna see how many people are actually reading this!

Enough of my gab! Carry on!

* * *

"Come on, Tifa!" Cid yelled over the intercom. "We can't wait on that jackass all day! I've got things I need to do! He'll have to find another ride back to Costa del Sol! We're leaving!"

I huffed and scanned the horizon, looking for Reno's red head to suddenly pop into view. I was just about ready to turn around and walk into the Highwind when I heard someone yell in the background.

"Hey!" I turned around and spotted Reno running toward the Highwind wildly waving his arms. "Wait for me!"

I rolled down the rope ladder for him just as the Highwind's engines started up. I heard Reno curse as he climbed up the ladder. He threw his bag over the railing and hopped onto the deck as I got to work rolling the ladder back up.

Reno leaned over and placed his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "Whew! I thought I wasn't gonna make it!"

I placed my hands on my hips. "Where were you?"

He looked up at me with a sheepish grin. "Sleeping."

I rolled my eyes. "Sleeping, what for?"

"I was tired. So, I figured I'd take a quick nap."

"Well, lucky for you I told Cid to wait." I turned and left the deck, leaving Reno to either stay up there or follow me.

Reno's childish attitude never ceased to aggravate my frazzled nerves. Sometimes I wondered how much of an age difference separated him and Logan.

I ventured onto the bridge and gave Cid a half smile before walking toward the front where I always used to stand. I placed my hands on the railing, gently squeezing it as I gazed down the ground that flew by in a dizzying array of browns and greens.

I felt a slight tugging on the hem of my shirt and I looked down. Logan was peering up at me with those big blue eyes of his. "Mommy, can I go see Nelly?"

I smiled, kneeling down. "Go ahead."

He kissed me on the cheek before running off the bridge. I straightened back up to find Cid sauntering up to me. "I still can't believe that Cloud didn't want anything to do with that little boy."

I nodded and leaned up against the railing. "Cid, you have to remember. Cloud is like a little kid stuck in a grown man's body."

Cid snickered at my comment, raking his fingers through his messy white-blonde hair. "You got a point," he said, still chuckling. "But still, that's the sweetest little boy I've ever seen. Spike must've taken a dive off the deep end to not want anything to do with you or Logan."

"We'll probably never know." I crossed my arms and stared at the door that Logan had run through. "I guess Cloud had his reasons."

"Yeah," Cid said, taking the cigarette he had been puffing on and throwing it to the floor and clamping the heel of his boot on it. "But his reasons were pretty screwed up."

Cid returned to the captain's station, leaving me to think on his last statement. He was absolutely right. Cloud never told me why he was leaving, he just left. But you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that he was looking for Aeris. Yes, I might have been in love with him but that love had blinded me to who he really was: a lost little boy.

I sighed and pushed off of the railing and left the bridge. Maybe because I had so much pity for him that pity eventually turned into what I thought was love. As I think back, Cloud never really thought anything of me besides 'the best friend.' Once Aeris came into the picture, he pushed me into the back of his mind. Even after Aeris was gone, he wouldn't let her go and condemned himself to the thought that it was his fault that she had died.

I entered the chocobo stable and leaned against the door jam. Logan was once again on Nelly's back, laughing as she trotted around the room. He saw me and waved excitedly. "Look at me, Mommy!" He exclaimed as Nelly ruffled her tail feathers into the back of his head.

I laughed as I watched my son. A few minutes later, Nelly trotted over to me and turned so I could safely retrieve him from her back. Logan turned in my arms and stretched his hand out so he could pet her one last time. She warbled silently as Logan scratched her crest. Once he was finished, she looked at him with her icy blue eyes and nudged him gently with her beak before walking away.

I returned to the bridge and placed Logan down so he could run around and release some of the excess energy he had pent up. He ran toward Cid and pulled on his pants leg then got to the task of asking him a million questions. I returned to my spot in front of the window and continued to gaze out the window, lost in thought.

I was concentrating so hard that I didn't notice Reno walk up beside me. "So, whatcha gonna do once you get back to Costa?" He asked, resting his elbows on the railing.

"Return to the normal routine, I guess," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground below.

"That it?" He said like he was expecting me to say something else.

I looked into his eyes for a few moments before shrugging and staring back out the window. I guess my silence was getting to him because he leaned in closer to me. "You alright?" He asked, peering into my eyes.

I looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind right now." I left it at that and turned back to the window once again.

I saw Reno nod out of the corner of my eye. "Alright," he said, shrugging. "Good enough for me."

He walked off and left me in revered silence once again. One corner of my mouth curled up when I saw Costa appear on the horizon. I hadn't been away from home for long but I was glad to finally be back. This weekend had taken a toll on me and all I wanted to do when I got home was take a nice long nap before I had to go to work.


	12. Same Old Thing, Almost

**Disclaimer:**

Do I even have to tell you anymore? Please refer to chapters 1-11 disclaimers.

**Author's Note:**

Wow, guys, thanks a bunch for all the encouragement and wonderful reviews! They really encouraged me and I totally changed my original story line to make it a little more sinister...hold on...is that even the right word? Don't worry though, it's not bad. Please let me know what you think after you finish reading. I wanna know if I done good with this chapter!

Oh, and one more thing! This is going to be the story that I put most of my effort into untilit's done. I know there's ongoing stories that I haven't updated in a while but all of you are going to have to wait until this story is over and done with before I update anymore of my stories, k? Just wanted you guys to know that. On with the story...

* * *

I trudged in my door and threw my bags on my bed then sunk down into the cushions of my couch. I sighed contentedly and closed my eyes, wishing I didn't have to go work. I felt Logan snuggle up in my lap and lay his head down on my chest. I opened my eyes and looked down at him.

"How are you?" I asked, wrapping my arms around him.

"Fine." He was silent for a few seconds before he looked up at me. "Can I come with you to work tonight?"

"Of course you can," I said, placing one of my hands on his face. "I don't have to go to work for another four hours. Why don't you go lay down and take a nap?"

He nodded and crawled off of my lap before scampering off to his room. I sighed and got up from the couch and slowly walked into my room, kicked my shoes off, threw the suitcases off the bed and collapsed under the covers. I reached over and set my alarm to wake me up one hour before I had to leave then plopped my head down on the pillow, falling asleep almost immediately.

I jolted awake to the sound of my alarm, almost falling off of my bed in the process. I slammed my hand down on top of the alarm clock, abruptly silencing it. I rolled out from under the covers and onto the floor, stumbling over to my closet and digging out my cocktail outfit.

I hastily got dressed, did my hair and make-up and got Logan ready to go before locking up and going to work.

"You sure look tired there, Teef," Tony said as I gathered all my things for that night's work.

"I just got back from vacation," I said, slipping a pen behind my ear. "It was relaxing yet very tiring all at the same time."

He chuckled, slinging his dishtowel over one of his shoulders. "That's happened to me before."

"I think it's happened to all of us," I said, picking up my tray and walking off.

Work that night went as it always did. Me walk around ask random people if they wanted something to drink then deliver their drinks to them. The time seemed to creep by and by the time I had been working only two hours of my six-hour shift I found myself watching the clock.

I finally punched out at exactly midnight, glad that I could go home and get some well-deserved rest.

After picking Logan up from the day care center, I trudged my way with my son in my arms to my truck and drove home. When I was once again within the confines of my own home, I put Logan straight to bed. He had exhausted all of his energy playing with a group of children there at the center and he had fallen asleep soon after I put him to bed.

As for me, I was like the walking dead. I didn't bother taking my hair out of the tight bun it was in, knowing that I could just take a shower in the morning. I was working the late shift again tomorrow night, which I was eternally grateful for.

I pulled back the covers and slowly climbed into bed, reveling in the sensation of being in my own bed once again. I turned off the lamp that sat on a stand next to my bedside and snuggled up into the cool sheets, sighing contentedly as I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning when I woke up I felt more rested than ever before. I turned onto my side and looked at the clock. The red letters flashed 11:48. A large smile appeared on my face as I rolled over onto my back and stretched. The last time I slept till noon was the day after Meteor and Sephiroth. Since then I haven't been able to get much of a good night's sleep.

I pulled my blankets tighter over my body, bound and determined to stay in bed until I absolutely had to get up. I was going to milk this for all it was worth.

I dozed off again for a while until a slight tugging on the bed sheets awakened me. I looked over to see who it was and smiled when I saw Logan trying to climb in bed next to me. When he saw I was awake he smiled back at me and kissed me on the cheek. "Morning, Mommy."

I turned over and wrapped my son up with me in the blankets. "Good morning to you, little man," I said, kissing the top of his head. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good," he said, squirming out and jumping on the floor. "I'm hungry," he said, turning back and looking at me.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked over at the clock again. This time it was 12:21. I leaned back and stretched one final time, figuring I had been in bed long enough. I threw back the covers and walked into the bathroom so I could attend to my morning rituals before I got my son and myself something to eat.

Once I left the bathroom and made my way into the kitchen Logan was already seated at the dinning room table. I kneeled in front of the stove and began to pull a few pans out of the drawer in the bottom. "So, what do you want for breakfast?" I asked, placing a skillet on the burner.

Logan sat in thought for a few minuets before answering. "French toast."

I smiled. "French toast it is then." I turned and got to the task of gathering everything I needed.

Once breakfast was finished and served, Logan and I ate in silence. When Logan was done, he left the table and ran off to his room to get out the clothes he wanted to wear that day. After I had eaten all of my French toast I gathered all the dirty dishes and pans and quickly got to the task of washing them. Dirty dishes seemed to accumulate awfully fast in my house, keeping in mind the fact that only two people live here.

With the dishes washed and put away, I got Logan dressed and then decided to take a shower, which I seriously needed. As I stood under the warm spray of water, gently washing my hair, an odd thought occurred to me.

I hadn't bothered to contact Reno since we got back from Cosmo Canyon. I felt sort of strange for not calling him but, then again, I knew that if he wanted to see me or speak to me he'd do it when he felt like it.

I turned the water off and hopped out of the shower, drying myself with a towel. I wrapped the towel around my body and left the bathroom, slowly walking over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of gray sweat pants and a black tank top along with clean undergarments.

I wasn't planning on going anywhere until I had to leave for work so I wasn't dressing to impress. I left my room and settled down onto the couch with a book. The book that I had chosen was one that I had read over a million times but it still hooked my interest.

I was close to my favorite part when Logan ran into the room. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

I placed my finger over the word I was on and looked up at him. "What's up?" I laughed as Logan hastily climbed onto my lap.

"I wanna get the pictures," he said, holding up the disposable camera that he had used.

"Okay, we can do that," I said, placing a small slip of paper between the pages and setting the book down on the table. "Wanna go now?" I asked, taking the camera, picking him up and rising from the couch.

He nodded fervently. "Uh-huh."

"Okay." I set Logan down and walked into my room and was getting ready to step into my sandals when I realized what I was wearing. I looked down at my outfit and considered changing. "Eh, who cares," I said, putting my sandals on and grabbing my purse.

I grabbed Logan and his camera and left my house. There was a small drug store down the street from where we lived that had a one-hour photo. I could drop the pictures off to be developed and maybe do a little shopping as well.

I carried Logan in my arms until we reached the doors of the drug store. He squirmed out of my arms and snatched the camera out of my hands. "Come on, Mommy!" He exclaimed, pulling me along behind him.

"Alright, alright!" I said, laughing. "Just hold on!"

We walked through the store until we found the one-hour photo shop. I dropped the camera off then proceeded to walk around until about an hour later I heard the lady that was working the one-hour photo call my name over the loudspeaker. I paid for the pictures and left; I didn't find anything that I wanted or needed to get so I just paid fifteen gil for the pictures. Yes, it's expensive but it's one-hour photo, they expect you to want to pay more.

"Come on, Mommy! Let me see the pictures!" Logan whined as we walked home.

"Hold on, sweetheart," I said, lifting him up into my arms. "Both you and me can look at them when we get home."

"Fine," he said crossing his arms across his chest and sticking his bottom lip out in a pout.

"Oh, come on," I said, stopping and kneeling down in front of him. He refused to look at me. One corner of my mouth curled up as I grabbed his bottom lip and tugged on it lightly. "Don't start with the lip thing."

He giggled and threw his arms around my neck. I lifted him up into my arms once again and continued on my way home.

I tossed my keys and purse down onto the dining room table then collapsed onto the couch with my son in my lap. As I produced the pictures, Logan clapped his hands and laughed. "Yay!" He would proclaim over and over again.

I pulled the small pile of pictures out of the package and smiled as Logan illustrated the first one, which was of the ocean.

"I thought the waves were pretty," he said, pointing to a large rolling wave that was in the background.

The next picture was of a milky white crab with red eyes that was scurrying across the sand. In the next one Logan had drawn 'I luv my momy' in the sand with a stick. I looked at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and he hugged me, happy I liked the picture. The next one Logan had turned the camera around and taken a picture of his face. I looked at him and ruffled his hair. "You goofball."

I slid that picture behind all of the others and a frown crawled onto my face as I gazed at the next picture. Logan had taken a picture of Reno and I when we were sitting next to our rented chocobo, Firecracker. I was propped up on my elbows with my legs stretched out in front of me. I was looking at Reno with a small smile on my face. Reno was sitting with his legs crossed and his arms resting lazily in his lap. He was also smiling.

"Logan," I said, turning to my son. "Why did you take this?"

He smiled at me. "Because I think you and Unca Reno look pretty together."

My cheeks reddened slightly at Logan's comment. I brought my eyes back to the picture and stared blankly at it. The thought of Reno and I looking 'pretty together' had never once crossed my mind before.

I flipped to the next picture and laughed. Logan had taken a side shot of Reno and I falling into the water together. The only part of my body that was still above water were my feet and half of Reno's body was submerged.

"That's when you and Unca Reno fell in the water," Logan said, pointing at the picture.

I ran my fingers through his hair. "Yes, it is," I said, still laughing somewhat.

The last four pictures were of Reno and I chasing each other down the beach. Once we were done looking at them, I placed the pictures back in the package and set it on the coffee table.

Logan hopped off my lap and turned to look at me. "Mommy, can I have a juice box?"

"Sure."

I followed him into the kitchen and grabbed an apple juice box from the fridge. I put the straw through the hole in the top and handed it to him then watched him frolic down the hall into his room, happily sipping his juice.

I returned to the couch and decided to continue reading my book. I hadn't been reading for more than ten minutes when someone knocked on the door. I rolled my eyes and placed the book down on the table. Between Logan, cleaning the house and working I barely get anytime to myself. When I do, people won't leave me alone.

I opened the door and just about had a heart attack.

"Hi, Teef."

My eyebrows pinched together. "What are you doing here, Cloud?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning on the door jam.

"To give you this." He pulled a white unmarked envelope out of his back pocket and handed it to me.

I frowned and reluctantly took it. I looked from the envelope to Cloud and back again, a bad feeling of foreboding coming over me. "Cloud, what is this?"

He bit his bottom lip and diverted his eyes away from mine whilst stuffing his hands into his pockets. Not a good sign.

I opened the envelope and pulled out the slip of paper that was inside, slowly reading the words.

_Dear Ms. Tifa Marie Lockheart,_

_You have been called to come to the Costa del Sol Courthouse on the 25th day of August at 11:30 A.M. to determine whether yourself or the father of your son, Cloud Jacob Strife, obtains sole custody of Logan James Lockheart. You must understand that whatever the jury decides will be with Logan's best interest in mind. Whoever is more fit to parent young Logan will obtain sole custody. We will see you then._

_Sincerely,_

_Judge David McCoy_

My hands began to shake as I looked up at Cloud. "You're trying to take Logan away from me," I stated. I didn't have to ask. I already knew.

Cloud looked at me briefly before looking back down. "Our son," he mumbled.

I clenched my fists, causing the paper in my hands to rip. "Cloud, he was never your son! The second I got pregnant you didn't want anything to do with him! You don't know the first thing about taking care of a child! Especially a two-year-old toddler! What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to replace the lost years, Tifa! Do you want Logan to grow up without a father?"

"No, but I sure as hell hope you're not that father! Logan needs a father who loves him unconditionally and wants to be with him! Not someone that abandoned him!" I yelled, starting to get angry.

"Tifa, as much as you don't want to admit it, Logan is my son too!" Cloud started to raise his voice as well and began to worry that someone might hear Cloud and I yelling.

I grabbed his arm. "Come inside before someone calls the police on us." I shut the door and turned to stare hard at Cloud. We remained silent for many moments, challenging each other with our eyes. Finally, I broke the silence moments later. "Are you sure you're even mature enough to raise Logan like I have?"

"Mature enough? Tifa, I'm almost twenty-five. What do you think?" He asked, advancing a few steps toward me.

"You want to know what I think?" Cloud nodded. "I think that someone who runs away when he finds out he's going to be a father shouldn't be one in the first place because he's still growing up himself. Who cares if you're twenty-five. Age doesn't show maturity. I highly doubt the court will put a child in the care of another."

A dark scowl fell over Cloud's face as he turned away from me. "I'll see you in court," he mumbled as he turned and walked out the door.

I took a deep breath and turned around, walking back to the couch. As I sank into the soft cushions I was surprised that Logan hadn't come out of his room to see why his Mommy was yelling. I covered my face with my hands as the full realization of what had just transpired hit me.

I could very well lose my son forever.

He was the only thing I had left. If Logan was taken away from me, life would cease to be real. Cloud wasn't the one who carried that little boy for nine months then raised him alone for another two years. If the judge rewards Cloud with custody, I don't know what I'd do.


	13. Soft Sounds of Breathing

**Disclaimer:**

Yeah, I think I've made my point clear...

**Author's Note:**

Wow, you guys are freakin' awesome! 18 reviews for Chapter 12! Eighteen! That's the most I've ever had for any chapter I've ever written on any story! You guys are simply amazing and I wanted to make sure that I got this chapter finished so you could read it. I revised this chapter a few times so I hope you guys like it. I do most of my major writing at school now so hopefully you guys like it!

Anyways, enough of me! Please read! Review when you're done! Review lots!

* * *

That night at work I couldn't concentrate. I got three people's drink orders wrong and delivered two of them to people who didn't even buy a drink. I hadn't been working for more than three hours when Tony pulled me aside.

"Hey, Teef," Tony said, grabbing my arm and leading me to an empty section of the bar. "What's going on? You seem out of it tonight."

I sat down on one of the barstools and rubbed my temples. I didn't want to burden Tony with my problems but, with the way it was looking, Tony wouldn't let me get up until he had the entire story out of me. So I decided to play the game anyways, hoping Tony wouldn't see right through me. "Nothing's wrong," I said, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit you're fine," Tony said, sitting down next to me and leaning in close to me. "You've never done this bad before. Something is obviously bothering you and you better tell me right now."

I sighed and closed my eyes, looking away from Tony's face. How was I supposed to tell him something like this without him flying off the handle? Tony's like the older brother I always wanted but never had. Ever since I started working at this casino, Tony watched over me like a mother hen. He even told me on one occasion that he thought of me as his little sister. If he finds out about what Cloud is planning to do… I don't even want to think about what Tony would do.

"It's that Reno guy, isn't it?" He asked, accusation apparent in his voice.

I shook my head violently. "No, never Reno." I took a deep breath and paused for a moment before looking at Tony. "I've told you about who Logan's father is right?"

"Well, of course," he said, placing his elbow on the bar surface and resting his head in his hand. "You told me about that when I saw you and Logan in the grocery store one time." I nodded, remembering that day all too vividly. "What about him?"

"Well, Cloud is going to fight me for sole custody of Logan." I looked right into his eyes when I said the last few words, wanting to see his full reaction.

Tony's brow furrowed and his cinnamon brown eyes darkened. "He's planning to do what?" He questioned, almost as if he needed me to repeat it so he could make sure that's exactly what he heard.

"Cloud's trying to take Logan away from me," I said, almost managing to remain calm and collected.

"That asshole," Tony said, turning his head and looking off to the side. He brought his gaze back to me and cracked his knuckles. "You want me to talk to him?"

"No, Tony," I said, placing one of my hands on top of his. "I can take care of it. But I'll let you know if I need any help all right?"

"That's fine," he said, relaxing somewhat. "Hey, you should go talk to Raoul. Your head's not into it tonight. You should go home and get some rest."

I nodded. "You think Raoul will let me leave?" I asked, skeptical.

"You know what?" He said, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I'll go talk to him for you. You just get your stuff and head on home. Go get your boy if he's in the daycare center and spend some time with him."

I nodded again and wrapped my arms around Tony's neck. "Thank you so much. I owe you one."

"Hey, don't worry about it, sis," he said, hugging me back. "You just take care of yourself."

I got up from the barstool. "I will. Thanks again."

"Don't worry about it," he said, taking off towards Raoul's office.

I watched him walk away then collected my purse and punched out. I didn't have to pick Logan up; Trish was watching him tonight.

"Thanks again, Trish. Are you sure you don't want me to pay you?" I asked, seeing her to the door.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure. I wasn't watching him for very long anyways. I'm usually here with him all evening. You don't have to worry about paying me for this one. I'm getting my paycheck from the inn tomorrow anyways."

"Okay," I said, opening the door and watching her walk out. "Thanks again. I'll call you when I need you to watch Logan again."

"Alright, see you then Tifa."

I waved then closed the door. Logan was stationed in front of the television watching one of his cartoon shows. I walked into my room and put on some soft flannel pajama bottoms and spaghetti strap shirt before collapsing on my bed. An idea popped into my head and I reached down into my purse for my cell phone. Reno had just recently given me his cell phone number so I decided to call him. I hadn't talked to him since we got back from our little outing to Cosmo Canyon, which was almost a week ago, so I realized now would be the time to call him.

I just hoped he wasn't working.

I dialed his number and I breathed in a sigh of relief when he picked up on the second ring. "Yeah?" He answered, his voice sounding quite tired.

I smiled. "Hey, Reno!"

"Oh," he said, his voice immediately brightening. "Hey, Teef How's it goin'?"

I bit my lip. "Not so well actually."

"Oh, well, you wanna talk about it?"

"Not over the phone." I knew that if I confessed all of this to Reno I kinda wanted him with me when I did. Telling people information such as this over the phone doesn't make much sense. "Can we meet somewhere?"

"Sure, how about that Wutain restaurant over near the harbor?" He suggested.

"Okay. Oh, and I'm going to bring Logan, is that okay?" I asked, hoping that Reno wouldn't mind.

"Of course it is. Bring the little squirt along."

I laughed slightly. "Alright, want us to meet you there now?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry. Just got off work a half an hour ago."

"Oh, how was it?" I asked, rolling onto my side and hugging my pillow to my chest.

"Eh, it went as well as could be expected. But as long as it pays good I'll keep showin' up every morning."

"How much do you get paid an hour?" I asked, really enjoying this conversation I was having with Reno.

"Like ten gil an hour, which is pretty damn good considering what kind of job it is."

"Why do you say that?" I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling.

"It's a thankless job. All kinds of characters work there. Ex-cons, teens on probation. Shit like that." He paused. "Hey, Teef, I'm walkin' to the restaurant right now. I'll get a table for us."

"Alright, I'll be along in a few minutes. I have to get Logan ready."

"Okay, see you then."

I ended the call and placed my phone back in my purse then hopped off the bed. I ran into the living room and swooped by, picking Logan up off of the floor abruptly. He squealed and giggled as I twirled him around. I stopped and placed him back on the floor and laughed a little myself as Logan tried his hardest to regain his balance. "Hey, big man!" I said, grabbing him again and hugging him. "You wanna go and eat with Unca Reno?"

His eyes lit up like a couple of one hundred watt bulbs. "Yeah, I wanna see Unca Reno!"

"Okay, go get the stuff you want to bring!" I said as he rushed past me and into his bedroom.

I got up and returned to my room, changing into a pair of denim jeans and a long sleeved, dark green shirt. I grabbed my purse then went into Logan's room. He had collected his blanket and his stuffed chocobo and was standing in the middle of the room looking around like he was lost.

"What is it, baby?" I asked, walking up behind him.

"I don't know what else to take," he said, looking at me with his big eyes.

"Your blankie and chocobo is fine. Let's go," I said, picking him up and walking out of the house.

We made the short trek to the Wutain restaurant that Reno talked about. I walked inside the front door and looked around, trying to find where he was sitting.

"Tifa! Over here!"

Reno was standing by a circle booth that was stationed in the back. I sighed, grateful that he hadn't gotten a table right in the middle of the room. I let Logan crawl into the booth before I slid in myself. Reno sat down next to me and handed me a menu. "So," Reno said, opening his own menu and looking at its contents. "What's on your mind, Teef?"

I looked over at Logan who was intently coloring the coloring sheet that the waitress had laid out for him. I knew that he wouldn't understand any of what I would be telling Reno, but I was still worried he may understand it on some level. I looked back at Reno and took a deep breath. I reached into my purse and produced the letter from the judge. I had kept it and taped it back together only so I could show it to Reno. Reno frowned as he looked from the crinkled paper to me. He carefully unfolded it and slowly read the contents. I bit my lip as he read it.

Reno's eyebrows pinched together and he exhaled sharply, wading the paper up. "That fucking asshole," he hissed, crushing the paper in his right hand. He looked over at me, anger flaring in his eyes. "How could that bastard do this to you?"

I shrugged my shoulders meekly as my eyes began to tear up. My breath caught in my throat as I covered my mouth and looked to the side. Reno laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I looked back at him. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came. After many moments I finally was able to find my voice. "Reno, I don't know what I'm going to do."

A helpless look appeared on his face as he scooted closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. I slid one of my arms around his waist while the other stayed stationery on his chest. "Hey, it's alright." He paused and ran his hand up and down my back. "I'm here for ya. You know that."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know." I sniffed and wiped my eyes for a few tears had managed to escape. I leaned back and smiled at him. "Thanks, Reno."

He shrugged. "Hey, no problem" He paused once again and stared at his menu. "Hey, Teef," he said, looking back at me. "If you need a witness when you go to court I'll back ya up."

"Oh, would you, Reno? I'd really appreciate that."

"No problem. What day is the twenty-fifth?"

"It's next Thursday. I have exactly a week before my son's future is decided." I hung my head as I felt more unwanted tears rushing to my eyes.

"Hey," Reno whispered, placing his hand on my back. "Don't worry about it. Once they find out Cloud never took part in raising Logan I doubt they'll hand sole custody over to him. You got nothin' to worry about, Teef."

I smiled at Reno with still moist eyes before leaning forward and hugging him once again. I didn't need to say thank you anymore. He already knew I was thankful for what he was doing for me.

The waitress came and took our orders then Reno and I talked about anything and everything except what was going on a week from now. The waitress brought our food and all three of us ate in silence. Logan finished his food first and, after listening to Reno and I talk, he decided to cuddle up with his blanket on the bench next to me. Reno and I continued to talk about small, minor things like how my job was going and how much he hated his. The conversation died and I turned to look at Logan. I gently wove my fingers through his hair and stared at his tranquil face as he slept.

I directed my attention back to Reno and found that his gaze was fixed on Logan. He never blinked and his ever-shining teal colored eyes were dark with thought. My eyebrows pinched together as I examined him. It was almost as if I could read the thoughts that were flying around in his mind. I tore my eyes away from his and looked at his left hand. His fingers were gripping the edge of the table and his fingers, from the fingernail to the knuckle, were pure white.

I reached out with my right hand and gently placed it over his. He immediately snapped out of his trance and looked at me with anger flaring in his eyes. Thinking that I had done something wrong, my hand instinctively slid quickly off of his. I bit my bottom lip and clasped my hands in my lap waiting for what Reno was about to say.

He leaned toward me and stared into my eyes for a lengthy amount of time before he reached out and clutched one of my hands in his. "Tifa, why is he doing it?"

I shook my head. "I wish I knew myself, Reno." I paused and looked down at where our hands joined. "I don't he even think that Cloud himself knows what he's doing."

Reno sighed and let go of my hand, leaning back into his seat. "I just can't believe what that jackass is doing," he said, looking off into space with a stone face.

I exhaled sharply and turned away from him, raising a hand to my forehead. "Reno, don't start." I swallowed the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. "I don't need to think about it right now. I just want to continue living and pretend that everything is okay."

Reno grabbed my shoulder and forced me to look at him. "Tifa, everything isn't okay. Cloud is trying to get sole custody of your only son, the one you've raised yourself for two years. He doesn't know what it's like to be a father and if he wins custody he could very well kill him."

At the end of Reno's sentence is when the tears finally came and when I realized the full extent of what Cloud would do to Logan. I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want my little boy being raised by someone that wasn't even there. I felt Reno tug me in his direction and I just fell on him. I buried my face into his shirt and cried and cried and cried. I never wanted to leave the protection of Reno's embrace. I just wanted to sit with him forever and never have to go back to the same old routine wearing a mask all the time, hiding my true feelings and emotions.

Reno let me cry for a little while before he pulled me away from him. He grabbed one of the napkins from the table and handed it to me. "Thanks," I said, taking the napkin and dabbing my eyes. Some of the make-up that I was wearing came off on the napkin but I didn't really care how I looked right now.

Reno grabbed the napkin from me and held my chin in his hand while he wiped the smeared mascara off from under my eyes. He tossed the napkin onto the table and grabbed the bill that the waitress had placed on the edge of the table. He placed the right amount of gil down, including a tip, then looked back at me. "Ready?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I turned to collect Logan from his place on the bench but Reno placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked back at him with a puzzled look. "Can I carry him?"

I was taken aback by Reno's request but nodded. He scooted out of the bench and walked over to the other side and carefully picked Logan up. I watched as Logan rested his head on Reno's shoulder and snuggled into his chest. I smiled then reached down and grabbed my purse and the bill before I followed Reno to the front of the restaurant. I handed the gil to the hostess at the front then walked out.

Reno walked beside me on my way home and I observed the many glances that Reno received as we went. Young men and women alike stared or smiled at Reno when they saw the sleeping bundle in his arms. I glanced at Reno many times to see if he noticed the looks he was getting but his attention was mainly on Logan. If he wasn't looking at Logan he was looking straight ahead of him, careful not to bump into anybody.

I unlocked the door and let Reno walk in ahead of me so I could close it behind him. He stopped in the middle of the living room and looked back at me. "You want me to put Logan to bed?"

I nodded. "Yeah, you know where his room is. Go ahead."

I watched him walk into Logan's room before I walked into my own room and placed my purse down on my bed. I left my room and ventured into Logan's, seeing how Reno was holding up putting him in bed. I stopped in the doorway and found that Reno was standing in front of Logan's crib with him still in his arms. I walked forward and placed my hand on Reno's back. He looked at me idly before gazing back at Logan. "I won't let him do it, Teef," he said, rubbing Logan's back. "I won't let Cloud take him away from you."

Tears once again came to my eyes as he looked back at me. "Oh, Reno." I didn't want to cry in front of him anymore so I turned away from him.

I heard Reno shuffle around for a few minutes as he gently set Logan in his crib before he turned to me. He stood behind me for many moments before he slid his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly, savoring the moment. I relaxed and leaned into his embrace, gently placing my hands over his.

We stood like that in front of my son's crib listening to the soft sounds of his breathing.


	14. More Threats

**Disclaimer:**

Still don't own it and don't think I ever will...

**Author's Note:**

Wow, you guys are freakin awesome! So here's a relatively long chapter packed with lots of good stuff! (Actually I'll let you guys be the judge of that.) But thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! Keep 'em coming cuz they make me joyful and encourage me to write! More reviews means more happiness means faster chapters! (If I can pump em out that fast...) But anyways, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Stay tuned for the next one! You're not gonna want to miss it!

* * *

I received a phone call from the courthouse the Wednesday before I was to appear in court.

"Miss Lockheart, have you chosen a lawyer?"

"No, I'm going to be my own defense," I said, reclining back into my couch next to my son who was intently looking at one of his children's books.

"Well, do you have a witness to back you up?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then we shall see you tomorrow morning."

I hung up the phone and turned to my son. "Well, little man," I said, ruffling his hair. "What do you want to do today?"

He looked up at me. "Do you have to work today?"

I shook my head. "No, baby, not today. I do tomorrow though." I stopped and looked away. _And you might not even be mine by that time anymore. _"What do you want to do today?"

He dropped his eyes back down to his book and flipped a page before responding. "I want to be with my Mommy."

I ran my hand through his hair then placed one of my fingers under his chin and brought his head up so he was looking at me. "Well, I want to be with my Logan." I tapped him on his nose, earning myself a giggle. I rose from the couch and stretched my arms over my head. "Well, what do you want to do?" I said, looking at him.

He shrugged. "Don't know."

"Well, that really helps me," I said, sitting back down next to him. I thought for a few moments before a thought occurred. "Hey, you want to go see Unca Reno?"

Logan's expression brightened at the mention of his name and he jumped off of the couch with his book. "Let's go see Unca Reno!"

"Okay, go get the stuff you want to bring," I said, getting up from the couch and walking into my room and grabbing my cell phone off of the charger. I dialed Reno's number and patiently waited for him to answer. I remembered him mentioning that he didn't have to work the day before my court date.

He answered after the third ring. "This better be pretty fuckin' good."

I smiled. "Reno, it's me."

"Oh," he said, his voice losing its malicious tone. "What's up, Teef?"

"Well, I remember that you said you didn't have to work today so I was wondering if Logan and I could spend some time with you today. You know," I said, lowering my voice considerably. "Because Logan might not be with me anymore tomorrow."

"Hey, Teef, don't say that. I don't think Cloud has a leg to stand on when it comes to deciding which parent he goes with. You don't need to worry about anything. You'll get sole custody and then you can put a restraining order on that son of a bitch." I was silent for a little before Reno spoke up again. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind right now." I collapsed onto my bed.

"Hey, I gotta meet with Reeve in Junon today. You and Logan can come along."

"Are you sure?" I asked, hoping I was wasn't imposing.

"Yeah, you need something to do to get your mind off of tomorrow and this is exactly what you need. I'll drop by your house and get ya when I'm ready, alright?"

"Okay, thanks Reno, you have no idea how much I need this."

"Hey, don't mention it. I'm just tryin' to look out for ya."

"And thank you so much for that." I rolled onto my side and curled into a ball, holding the phone tightly to my ear.

"Like I said, don't worry about it. I'll drop by as soon as I'm ready, 'kay?"

"Sure, I'll see you then."

"Bye." Reno hung up and I got up from my bed.

When I walked back into the living room, Logan was sitting on the couch with his blanket and chocobo looking at his book again. When he saw me he jumped up from the couch and ran over to me. "When we see Unca Reno?"

"Soon, sweetie, we're going to go to Junon with him," I said, picking him up.

"Are we gonna see Unca Barret?" He asked excitedly.

My eyebrows pinched together and I cocked my head to one side. "Maybe, he might be there."

"I can see Marlene!" He said, throwing his arms around my neck and hugging me.

"Yeah," I said, going into Logan's room.

I placed Logan on the floor and got to the task of getting his diaper bag together. Logan was using pull-ups now but he was prone to having accidents at the most unwanted moments. I placed five extra pull-ups in the diaper bag along with wipes and baby powder, along with hand sanitizer if I wasn't near a bathroom. I was getting ready to collect Logan from the floor when I heard the doorbell ring.

"Unca Reno!" Logan shot up from the floor and dashed out of his room, charging toward the front door. I heard him open it and then Logan's squeal of joy as Reno walked into the room.

"Hey, kiddo!" Reno said, causing Logan to squeal and laugh some more. "What's up, little dude?"

I finished gathering all of Logan's things and when I turned around I jumped upon seeing Reno standing right behind me. I gasped and placed one of my hands on his shoulder and the other on my chest. "God, Reno, don't do that."

He chuckled. "Sorry, Teef," he said, grinning. "Couldn't help it."

"Jerk," I said, slapping him on the chest and walking out of Logan's room with his diaper bag.

"Oooh, I like 'em feisty!" Reno said as he followed me out.

I rolled my eyes as I set the diaper bag down on the coffee table and turned to Logan. I blocked my mouth so Reno couldn't see what I was saying as I whispered something to my son. "He's crazy," I mouthed. Logan gasped and placed his hands over his mouth as he started to giggle. I smiled and turned back to Reno who was leaning on the wall. "What are we taking to Junon?"

"Well, we would have been taking a helicopter but the one they have here has a broken rudder and they have to repair it. We're going to be taking a boat." Reno ran his hand haphazardly through his hair.

I shrugged. "That's okay. Should we go now?"

"Sure. They don't leave until I get there." He walked toward the door and collected a small black duffel bag. "Let's get goin'."

I nodded and slung Logan's diaper bag over my shoulders then picked Logan up. I locked up my house then walked with Reno to the docks. We departed as soon as we boarded the boat and were in Junon in less than three hours. Once we arrived, we went into the office at the top of the Junon Tower. Reeve apparently had been appointed Mayor of Junon, much to my amazement. The last I had heard of Reeve he was conducting the reconstruction of Midgar, which was before Logan was born. Whether or not he was continuing with that was beyond me.

Reno walked into his office without knocking. "What's up, Mister Mayor?" He asked, plopping down into one of the chairs in front of Reeve's desk.

As soon as I entered, I spotted Barret standing next to the window. I was hoping in the back of my mind that he wouldn't be there. Barret could read me like an open book and he can detect the second that something is wrong with me. Tony and Reno have already threatened to induce bodily harm on Cloud; I don't need the same reaction from Barret as well.

I set Logan down on the floor and placed his blanket, chocobo and diaper bag down next to the door. Logan ran toward Barret and collided into one of his legs, wrapping his arms around him and squeezing. "Hi Unca Barret!" He exclaimed as he backed away and lifted his arms into the air as a silent plea of wanting to be picked up.

"Hey there, Logan," Barret said as he picked him up. "How's my favorite little nephew?"

"Good," he said, smiling. "Where's Marlene?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, kid," Barret said, ruffling his hair. "Marlene's at home in Corel. I came here to take care of some business with Reeve."

Logan's face fell. "Oh," he said, disappointment apparent in his expression.

Barret walked towards me and stopped in front of me. "Hey, Tifa, how ya been?"

I shrugged. "Pretty good," I lied. "How about you?"

"Well, you know, same 'ol same 'ol. Trying ta get Corel back in shape. Shit like that ain't easy." He looked at Logan who still held the same look of disappointment over Marlene's absence. "Hey, cheer up. Maybe you can come spend the night this weekend."

Logan's face immediately brightened. "Really?"

"You bet," he said, looking back at me. "As long as it's okay with your Mom."

I bit my bottom lip, trying in vain to hold back from breaking down. I didn't want Barret to find out that my son may not be mine anymore this weekend. I hastily turned around and retreated from the room. Reno went to follow me but Barret stopped him and handed Logan to him. "Hey, hold on a second," Reno said, starting to follow Barret.

"You go take care of what ya gotta take care of with Reeve. Let me handle Tifa."

Reno nodded and returned to the chair he had been sitting in earlier and got on with business. Barret caught me when I was half way down the hall. I wanted to go to the bathroom that I had seen earlier before anyone could catch me. Yeah, like me going into a ladies' bathroom would keep Barret from talking to me. He'd find out what was wrong with me come hell or high water and that's what I was afraid of.

He grabbed my arm and made me look at him. "Teef, what's the matter?" He asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.

I shook my head, trying to hold back my tears. "Nothing, it's nothing."

"Bullshit, it's nothing. You've never cried over me mentioning that Logan should spend the night in Corel with me an' Marlene. He's done it too many times for you ta get all emotional over it. What's bothering you?" He asked again, making me look at him.

I stared into Barret's eyes and couldn't hold back the tears that were threatening to spill out of my eyes. I looked away from him as two small tears fell down my cheeks. "It's Cloud."

Barret forced me to look at him once again. "You got over that son of a bitch long ago. Why the hell would you be crying over him now?"

"Because of what he's about to do."

"What's he gonna do, Tifa? I swear if he hurts you that boy will never see the light of day again."

Barret's last statement was exactly what I didn't want to hear. That only made the prospect of telling Barret even harder. I began to cry uncontrollably and Barret let me calm down some more before he questioned me again. "What's he gonna do?"

I wiped my eyes and looked at him. "He's trying to get sole custody of Logan."

Barret's hand fell from my shoulder and a bewildered look fell onto his face. "You gotta be shittin' me. That asshole ain't never helped you raise Logan since the day he was born! How could the court grant custody to that scum?" Barret exclaimed as he began to get red in the face.

I shrugged my shoulders meekly. "I don't know what to do, Barret."

"Hey, it's alright," he said, wrapping his overly large arms around my tiny frame and hugging me gently. "You'll be fine. You know I'll help ya any way I can."

I hugged him back, relieved that he wanted to help me as well. I backed away from him and wiped my eyes once again. "How?"

"Well, let's go talk to Reeve. Maybe he can get ya a good lawyer." He grabbed my hand and began to lead me back to Reeve's office. I didn't even get the chance to tell him that I wouldn't need a lawyer.

Barret practically broke down Reeve's door and almost ran Reno over who was still sitting in the chair with Logan in his lap. "Barret, what's wrong?" Reeve asked, rising from his seat slightly.

Barret's grip around my wrist tightened as he swung me around in front of Reeve's desk. "Tell him, Tifa."

Reeve looked at me warily. "Tifa, what is it?"

I bit my lip and looked down at Reno. He nodded his head and got up, walking out of Reeve's office. Once Reno had left, I turned to Reeve. "Cloud's trying to get sole custody of Logan."

"Well, then you're going to need a lawyer. I can do that for you," he said, sitting back down.

I shook my head. "No, Reeve, I already told the court that I was going to be my own defense. Reno's going to be my witness."

Barret walked up next to me and looked at me with fire burning in his eyes. "Tifa, how can you expect to win like that? You need someone who knows you and Logan and can give you a good, solid defense."

Tears started to come to my eyes again. God, when was that going to stop? "Barret, I can't do that. I can't put my son's future in the hands of someone else. If I can't persuade the judge and the jury to give me custody then who will?"

Barret looked away from me and shook his head. Reeve took this time to step in. "Tifa, are you sure? I know your habits with Logan, Tifa, and I know what kind of mother you are. I can create a solid defense that no one else will be able to come up with."

"No, Reeve, it's alright. I can do this. I have to do this. Logan needs his mother to defend him."

Reeve nodded and sat back down. "Why don't you and Barret go get something to eat? Reno and I still have some things we need to discuss. Logan can stay here."

"Thanks, Reeve," I said as Barret started to lead me out.

Reno was standing in the hallway with Logan in his arms. When he saw Barret and I emerge from Reeve's office he walked towards us and began to give Logan back to me. "No, Reno, you keep him for now. Barret and I are going to get something to eat. We'll be back in a little." I leaned forward and gave Logan a quick kiss on the cheek then followed Barret down the hall.

We went to a small café down the street. I wasn't hungry so I just ordered some coffee. Barret proceeded to leak all the information about my court appearance. He questioned if I had come up with my speech to the judge and when I told him I was just going to wing it, he just about blew up at me. After a while his banter got on my nerves and I was about to leave when he stopped me.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I don't mean ta upset ya. Let's go back now. Reeve an' Reno are probably done."

I nodded, relieved that he let the topic slide. If he had continued to talk on and on about it, I probably would have left without a word. I know Barret's just trying to look out for Logan and me but he didn't have to go off the deep end about it.

When we arrived back at Reeve's office, Reno and Reeve were just passing the time with small talk. Logan hopped off of Reno's lap and immediately ran over to me. "Where you go?" He asked as I picked him up.

"I went with Uncle Barret so Unca Reno and Reeve could talk."

"Oh," he said, squirming out of my arms and returning to Reno's lap.

Reno turned around and smiled at me. "Hey, you two have fun?"

I shrugged. "You could say that." I directed my attention at Reeve. "Are you guys done?"

"Yes, we finished a few minutes before you got back." He rose from his desk and came around to stand in front of me. "I hope your court appearance goes well."

"Thanks, Reeve," I said, hugging him. "I'll come back some other time and visit with you."

He nodded. "I'd like that very much. It was good to see you again."

I smiled at him then collected Logan's things from the back of the room. Barret came over to me and gave me a tight hug. "You take care of yourself now. Tell me how it goes, will ya?"

"Of course. You know I will and thanks for cheering me up. I needed it."

"Hey, don't mention it, Teef. I'm just tryin' to look out for ya." He gave me one more hug then backed away.

"Thanks again." I turned to Reno as he joined me at the door. "You wanna keep carrying him?"

He shrugged. "Sure, just as long as he stops pulling my hair," he said, turning to Logan and ruffling his hair.

"Was he earlier?" I asked as we stepped into the elevator to take us to the bottom of the tower.

"He wouldn't leave me alone. Does he do that to you?"

"He likes to twirl my hair around his fingers. Sometimes he attempts to braid it."

"Well, that's what he was tryin' to do to me, but it hurt," he said, scratching an area of his head that Logan had gotten at earlier.

I laughed. "Well, he seems to have an infatuation in playing with other people's hair, especially if it's long."

"Yeah, don't remind me."

The boat trip back to Costa was over fairly quick. When I walked through my front door, I looked at the clock on the oven and was shocked to find that it was almost nine o'clock. I turned to Reno who was holding a sleeping Logan in his arms. "Go ahead and go wait in his room."

He nodded and disappeared down the hall as I went into my own room. I placed his diaper bag down next to my closet and got out some red flannel pajama pants and a white spaghetti strap top. I quickly changed then joined Reno in Logan's room. When I entered, Reno took much joy in carefully examining my body. I whacked him on the side of the head and took Logan out of his arms.

"You sick, sick little boy," I mumbled as I dressed Logan for bed.

"Hey, I can't help it. When you wear clothes like that it's kinda hard to resist those manly urges."

My mouth fell open and I turned around, hurling the object I had been holding in my hand at him, which just so happened to be a diaper.

"Hey, whoa!" He exclaimed, jumping away from it. "That better not be used."

"Don't worry, it wasn't," I said, grabbing another one.

Reno stood back and watched as I got Logan dressed and ready for bed. I was surprised that he hadn't woken up and I was grateful for it. I put Logan in bed then walked out of his room with Reno in tow. "You got tomorrow off right?"

"Yep, called in last week and asked for tomorrow off early. I was surprised they even gave it to me. I've only been working there little less than a month. What time do I have to be there again?

"Well, it starts at eleven so why don't you come here in the morning and we can drive over in my truck together."

"Sure, sounds great." He turned to the door and began to open it but stopped short. After a few moments, he shut the door and turned to me, closing the considerably small gap that was in between us.

I frowned as I looked up into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I, uh, just want to let you know that…" His words trailed off as he brought one of his hands up to my face and gently brushed the pads of his fingers across my cheek. "I just want you to know that I, uh…care a lot about you, Teef, and that I'll always be here for ya. No matter how bad things get."

I smiled and placed my hand on top of his. "Thanks, Reno. I appreciate that."

I found myself staring into his eyes again like I did when we were in Cosmo Canyon, only this time they looked different. They seemed…gentler, softer even. He bent down and kissed me on the forehead before he backed away. "Sleep good. See you in the morning."

I nodded. "See you."

He opened the door and walked out, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he trudged off into the dark. As I watched his form disappear into the night air, I realized something, something that I never would have been able to admit to myself just a few months ago.

I wanted him.


	15. Order In The Court

**Disclaimer:**

You should know the drill by now... Why am I even doing this anymore?

**Author's Note:**

Ah, the long awaited court date chapter. I know all of you have been stewing waiting for my happy ass to get this story updated but alas I have finally finished chapter 15. _throws confetti wildly around room_ I wanted to make all of you extremely happy whilst you wait for another update so I made this chapter extra long and added in some fun stuff at the end! Don't worry; all of you with virgin eyes won't have to skip ahead just yet. I'm pretty certain there is going to be a sex scene but that will be in later chapters so all of you stay tuned! Hope you like what I've done with this chapter and please leave me feed back! Reviews inspire me to write so please if you want another chapter up faster please leave me a review!

God, what am I carrying on about? Shouldn't you be reading by now?

* * *

That morning when Reno and I arrived at the courthouse it took every single ounce of my strength to not pound Cloud's face in. Cloud's lawyer arrived a little while after we did. Reno and I decided that it would be best to just go inside and wait instead of standing outside where Cloud's lawyer could badger us. We took our seats on the left side of the courtroom and patiently waited. A guard walked in and told us that Logan needed to sit out in the audience. He also reassured me that someone would be sitting with him so he didn't wander off.

When Cloud entered with his lawyer, he tried not to look in my direction. When he did he pretended to be looking at some foreign object somewhere behind me. Right at eleven o'clock the jury filed in and took their seats. There were at least seventeen people out in the audience. I had been counting ever since the first one walked in, but I had quickly lost interest as the minute hand got closer and closer to the twelve.

Another guard entered. "All rise." There were small thumps and thuds as everyone rose to their feet. "The honorable Judge David McCoy presiding."

Once the judge sat down everyone else sat as well. We sat in solemn silence as the Judge flipped through a few documents. He looked at me then turned his eyes to Cloud. "We are here today to decide sole custody of Logan James Lockheart." He turned to me. "Miss Lockheart, you are your own defense correct?"

"Yes, sir, I am."

"Then I suggest we get down to business. I'd like to start by each parent sharing their testimony. Miss Lockheart, would you like to go first?" The judge asked, turning to me.

I shook my head. "I'd like Cloud to go first."

"Very well." He turned to Cloud. "Please present your testimony to the jury, Mr. Strife."

Cloud looked over at his lawyer before rising. "I was away on important business during the time that Logan was growing up. I realize now that I should have been there for him. I should have been the father Tifa wanted me to be. I just want to be with my son. I've missed out on two years of his life and I don't want to miss anymore." He sat down and stared at his hands.

The judge turned back to me. "Miss Lockheart, if you will."

I looked at Reno before hesitantly rising out of my chair. The next few words would more than likely decide my son's fate. I took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm not asking for custody." I paused and started at the judge. "I'm begging for it. Cloud wasn't away on 'important business.' He was chasing a ghost. When he found out I was pregnant he left. He wanted nothing to do with our unborn child. I raised Logan alone. The only help I received was from the local babysitter. Then two years after Logan's birth Cloud comes back, begging for me to let him back into my life. I'm sorry, Your Honor, I just couldn't do that. I couldn't let someone that's mentally unstable raise my son, so please," I said, addressing the jury. "Don't grant Cloud custody. There is something seriously wrong if you grant a child custody over another child."

I sat down. Reno placed his hand over mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The judge turned to me. "Miss Lockheart, is your accusation of Mr. Strife's insanity true?"

"Well, Your Honor, sane people don't think that a dead person can suddenly raise from the grave."

The judge nodded and looked down for a moment. "I'd like to take this time to call your witness to the stand."

Reno walked over to the witness stand and stood in front of the chair. The guard approached him and raised his right hand; Reno did the same. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" The guard questioned.

Reno nodded. "I do."

Reno sat down and Cloud's lawyer rose from his seat. He grabbed a few papers from his briefcase and paced in front of the jury. "Reno Hewitt?" He asked, casting a sideways glance at him.

"That's me," Reno responded, sitting back in his chair. "And what might your name be?"

Cloud's lawyer gave Reno a dry stare but decided to humor him. "Randy Trask. Can I continue?"

"Go ahead," Reno said, folding his hands over his stomach.

Randy stared at the papers in his hand for a few more moments before speaking. "You are the same Reno Hewitt that served as a Turk for a numerous amount of years, correct?"

Reno's eyes got wide, but he regained his composure. "That would also be me."

"I think myself and everyone else in this courtroom knows what the Turks have done in the past, am I right?"

I realized that my bringing Reno into all of this was a mistake. Randy would dig up every dirty thing about Reno that he could and make it so I didn't win custody. I began to wring my hands and bite my bottom lip. This wasn't looking good.

Reno nodded. "You're right."

"Well, what made you join the Turks in the first place?"

Reno was silent for a few moments. "Do you want the entire story?"

Randy nodded. "Yes, I would."

"Alright. When I was young my father went off to fight in the Midgar-Wutai War. That left me, my mother and my little sister alone to fend for ourselves. My mother's job didn't pay much so my sister and I had to quit school and get jobs so we could help our mother pay the bills. A few months later my mother got a notice in the mail, telling her about how my father had been killed and that the military expressed their deepest apologies. Things started to get a little worse after that. When I turned sixteen, I signed up for Soldier. I heard that if you were accepted you were given a big cash bonus. I wanted it for my mother and sister so I joined thinking I had nothing to lose. I was accepted and they gave me five thousand gil. I was shocked and a little tempted to keep the money for myself but I knew they needed it a lot more than I did. My mother was able to pay off all her debts and even buy a new house for herself and my sister. I graduated from boot camp and slowly started to make my way up the ladder in the Soldier program. I would send money to my mother every month to make sure she was secure and when I was getting ready to become a First Class Soldier, my captain told me I had the potential but I just wasn't 'First Class' material. So he sent me to Tseng and that's when I became a Turk."

"Did you know anything about the Turks when you were offered the job?" Randy asked, pacing around in front of Reno with one hand in his pocket.

"Of course I did," Reno answered with a small amount of sarcasm. "I knew the Turks did President Shinra's dirty work but I was willing to do anything just to make sure my mother and sister were taken care of. By the time I joined the Turks, my mom needed money more than ever. She had come down with some kind of virus and couldn't work anymore. My sister had a job but because she was still underage it didn't pay enough for my mother's medicine. Becoming a Turk meant I got a huge pay advance and I would have been a fool to turn it down."

"So, what were you thinking about when you destroyed the Sector Seven plate, causing it to fall and crush thousands of innocent people? Were you thinking of your mother and sister then?"

"Actually I was," Reno replied, venom starting to boil in his voice. "At first, I told President Shinra to go suck it when he told me to destroy the Sector Seven plate. That's when he told me if I didn't do it, he'd kill my mother and sister. I had no choice. It was either lose the only family I had or lose an entire sector. I loved my mother and sister with every fiber of my being. I wanted them to succeed the way I was and I wasn't about to let some fat monkey take that away from me."

"Mr. Hewitt, are you familiar with the phrase "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?"

Reno rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm familiar with it."

"Well, were you thinking about it as you pressed that button?" Randy asked, approaching Reno.

"No, I was too busy worrying about my mother and sister to worry about some stupid phrase." By now, Reno was becoming very angry and the way he was gripping the arms of the chair made it evident.

Randy decided to press on with his impudent questions. "Did the President spare your mother and sister's lives?"

Reno looked down at his lap for a few moments before lifting his eyes once more to reveal tears that were beginning to brim on the edge of his eyes. "That lying bastard said he would!" Reno shouted, causing a few tears to roll down his cheeks. "He said he would spare them but he killed them anyways! He killed them even though I did what he told me to do!" Reno sat back and tried to compose himself. "Well, are you satisfied now?"

"Almost." Randy paced a little more before stopping in front of Reno. "Tell me how good of a mother Tifa is to her son."

Reno wrung his hands in his lap for a little before speaking. "She's one of the most caring and loving mothers I've ever seen. She's loves Logan with all of her being and would dive into the fiery pits of Hell to save him. I can tell you right now that if you persuade the jury in any way to side with you and Cloud I'll personally take my mag rod and shove it up your ass."

"Mr. Hewitt, please refrain from using profane and threatening language in my courtroom," Judge McCoy said.

"Sorry, Your Honor," Reno said, glaring ruthlessly at Randy.

Randy stood with a satisfied smirk on his face before walking back to his seat. "No further questions, Your Honor."

"Then we will take this time to let the jury deliberate. I call a twenty minute recess." The judge smacked his gavel against the stand and exited the courtroom.

The jury filled out slowly, leaving all of us in the courtroom to stew. I got up and excited the courtroom. I needed to go collect myself and try to calm down. I was totally in the dark. I didn't have a clue whose side the jury was leaning towards. It was like running through a dark cave with no idea where the next turn was going to be.

I entered the bathroom and stood in front of one of the sinks. I wet my hands and ran them through my frizzy hair. I rubbed my temples and leaned my elbows on the sink. "I've got to calm down. The jury is going to see it my way." I stared at my reflection in the mirror and sighed. It was useless to get my hopes up.

Someone walked into the bathroom and I turned my head to see who it was. "Reno, what are you doing the ladies room?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay." He stuffed his hands in and his pockets and stood next to me.

"I'll be okay when the jury rewards me custody of Logan."

"Hey, don't worry, Teef," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Everything'll be fine."

"I sure hope so."

"Come on, we should be getting back."

I nodded and followed Reno out of the bathroom and back into the courtroom. I sighed in relief as we took our seats; both the jury and the judge had not returned yet. We sat silently for the next ten minutes before the judge came back in, followed by the jury. The jury sat and all of them stared straight ahead, none of them looking at either Cloud or myself.

Judge McCoy folded his hands on his desk and looked toward the jury. "Have you reached a verdict?"

All of them nodded and a security guard collected an envelope from one of the members. The guard handed it to the judge and returned to his post.

Judge McCoy opened the letter and read the contents before looking at me then Cloud. He stared at the paper again for a few more moments before speaking. "The jury has rewarded custody of Logan James Lockheart to his mother, Tifa Marie Lockheart."

I gasped and immediately my eyes started to tear up. I threw my arms around Reno's neck and began to cry. I had won custody of my son fair and square and there was nothing Cloud would be able to do about it. My son was mine.

I backed away from Reno and wiped my eyes. "Thank you so much, Judge McCoy."

He shook his head, smiling gently. "No need to thank me. Court is adjourned." The loud smack of his gavel was heard once more and people began to leave the courtroom.

I got up and rushed to where Logan was seated with a security guard in the back. He jumped down from the bench and ran towards me. "Mommy!"

I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around him. Tears began to fall from my eyes once again. Five minutes ago I had been so frightened that they would award custody to Cloud, but now I had nothing to worry about. I picked him up and rose from my knees. I wiped my eyes and kissed Logan on the cheek. "Hi, baby."

He laid his head down under my chin and wrapped one arm around my neck. "Hi, Mommy."

I turned around and walked toward Judge McCoy, who was waiting in the back for me. "Here you are," he said, handing me the custody papers.

"Thank you again. I just can't believe I almost lost my son."

"You didn't have anything to worry about Ms. Lockheart. Logan is a fine looking child and I doubt a child that looks so happy would have a mother that neglects him."

"I think I'd kill myself if I even considered it." I kissed Logan's forehead and ran my fingers through his hair.

I shook the judge's hand then walked toward where Reno was still sitting. I placed the custody papers in my purse and looked at Reno. "Do you have to go to work?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I'm off until tomorrow. You wanna go do something?" He asked, getting up and pushing his chair in.

"I wish I could. Raoul wants me to come in at two o'clock. I have to go home and start getting ready. I'm probably going bring Logan to work with me." I walked beside Reno out of the courthouse.

"Aw, you don't want me to baby-sit for ya?" He asked, smirking at me.

"It's okay, Reno, you don't have to worry about babysitting for me. I know the last thing you want to do is get stuck at my house with Logan all day." I switched Logan over to my other side.

"Hey, that's not true. I wouldn't mind watching the little squirt for a few hours. How long are you working?"

"Probably until midnight. I don't think Raoul would make me work until the bar closes." I dug my keys out of my purse and unlocked the front door of the condo.

Once inside, I set Logan down on the floor and allowed him to go about his business. I walked into my room and threw my purse down onto my bed then grabbed my uniform out of the closet. Reno stood in my doorway and watched me get my uniform together. I set it all on the bed then turned to him. "Are you going to watch me get dressed?"

He smiled and nodded his head. I rolled my eyes and shoved him out of my doorway then closed the door and locked it. "Hey!" He exclaimed from outside. "That's cheating!"

"Deal with it!" I shouted back before getting dressed.

I walked out fifteen minutes later totally dressed and ready for work. Reno was sitting on the couch with a scowl on his face. I landed on the couch next to him. "Don't get your panties in a wrinkle now." He rolled his eyes and playfully pushed me away from him. "Aw, come on, Reno," I said, getting up. "Where's your sense of humor?"

"Outside on the porch," he said, with a small pout in his voice.

"Well, don't trip on it when you leave."

I left the living room and ventured into Logan's room. He was lying on the floor flipping through one of his books. He looked up at me and smiled. "You work tonight?" He said, getting up and waddling toward me.

I nodded. "Yeah, but you're coming with mommy tonight. You can go play with all the other kids at the day care center."

"Okay," he said, walking away to go collect the things he wanted to bring.

"Hey," came Reno's voice from the living room. "You want me to stick around and keep you company at work?"

I returned to the living room and sat next to Reno. "No, I won't be able to stand and talk anyways. We can do something tomorrow though. Do you work?"

He nodded. "Yeah, from nine in the morning till like four in the afternoon. Does that work for you?"

"Actually it does. Raoul wants me to come in at like six and work till the bar closes. We can have dinner or something."

"Okay," he said, getting up from the couch and striding towards the door.

I followed him and opened the door. He stood in front of me for a while before leaning down and giving me a small smile and a quick hug before leaving. I closed the door and went into my room, all the while thinking about where my relationship with Reno was going. Yes, of course I wanted to be more than 'friends' with him, but did he want to be more than friends with me? All the signs he was giving me had already begun to lead me to think that he wanted something serious.

Reno, serious? You've got to be kidding me. I thought to myself. Asking someone like Reno to be serious is like trying to get a turtle to walk around without its shell.

But, then again, could someone like Reno be serious? Ever since I saw Reno for that first time in the casino he's never ceased to amaze me. He's done things that I never thought he was capable of. The testimony he gave in court that morning had really struck a cord in me. Just the thought of him caring so much for two people enough to go out on a limb for them was touching. Reno had revealed a side that I don't think anyone else had ever seen before. Even I was speechless as I sat and listened to him. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine Reno crying. Seeing him that vulnerable broke my heart. It was almost like a totally different person had taken his place on the stand for that one brief moment.

After I dropped Logan off at the day care center, I ventured over to the bar to gather all my supplies for the night. Violet, one of the veteran cocktail waitresses ran over to me and grabbed my arm. "Hey, Teef, how'd it go in court today?"

"Oh, it went just fine," I said, grabbing a pencil and pad of paper.

"Did you win custody or what?"

I smiled. "I did win custody."

"Oh, Tifa, I'm so happy for you," she said, hugging me. "That's great. I'll tell all the other girls."

I nodded and smiled as I watched her walk off. Tony placed his hand on my shoulder. "So, that lyin' sack of shit didn't get your little boy did he?"

I turned around and faced Tony. "No, he didn't."

Tony smiled. "Well, that's good. So, that Cloud jerk has left you alone now, right?"

I sat down on one of the bar stools. "Actually, I wouldn't know. After court ended he didn't say a word and left."

He nodded his head. "Well, you better get out there. If Raoul comes by he'll want to know why you're sittin' around."

"Alright," I said, picking up my paper and pencil before leaving the bar.

I clocked out at midnight and counted all the money in my box before grabbing my purse and heading towards the day care center. Logan was standing by the door when I arrived so I checked him out and left. I strapped Logan into the passenger seat of my truck and pulled my phone out to check my messages really quick. I dialed my voice mail number as I backed out of my parking space. The recorded voice told me I had a message. I listened to it and was surprised to find that Reno had called me.

"_Hey, Teef, it's Reno. It'll probably be really late when you get this but I'd like you to call me back when you get home from work. It's, uh, kind of important."_

I deleted the message and placed my phone back in my purse. Logan turned to look at me. "Who was on the phone, Mommy?"

I pressed the button to open the garage door. "Oh, it was Reno."

"What did he say?"

"He wanted me to call him back because he needs to talk to me about something." I turned the truck off and unstrapped Logan so he could climb out of the truck.

"Mommy, I tired. Can I go bed?" He asked, when we got into the house.

"Sure you can. Hold on for a second, let me put my jammies on."

"Okay," he said, plopping down on the couch with his blanket.

After I put my pajamas on, I picked up Logan, who had balled up on the couch and dozed off, and carried him into his room. I managed to get him dressed and in bed without waking him up. I stood next to his crib for a few minutes and watched him sleep before I turned his night-light on and closed his door. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Reno's number. It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hey, Teef."

"Hey, what did you want to talk about?" I asked, sitting down on the couch and gathering my legs up underneath me.

"Uh, I know I probably shouldn't be asking this but do you think you can meet me down at the beach?"

I frowned. "Right now?"

"Yeah, right now. I wanna talk to you face to face."

I bit my bottom lip. "I just put Logan to bed, but I wouldn't want him to wake up and not find me here."

"It won't be for very long. It'll only take like ten minutes."

I grabbed a strand of my hair and began to twirl it around my fingers. Logan did seem pretty tired and he was asleep before I even put him in his crib. Besides, he usually doesn't get up out of his crib unless there's something going on. "Okay, when do you want me to meet you?"

"I'm already at the beach. Go ahead and come when you're ready."

I nodded. "Alright, I'll see you in a bit."

I hung the phone up and walked into my room. It was August so I wouldn't have to worry about getting a chill; I could get away with staying in my pj's. I slipped a pair of sandals on my feet and quietly opened Logan's door to make sure he was still asleep. I bit my lip as I looked down at him, still worried that he might wake up.

I left his room and opened the bottom drawer of my bedside table, retrieving a small cloth sack. I dumped out all the materia within and searched for the Sleep materia. I found it and held it in front of the light, watching the deep yellow swirl about. I carried it into my son's room and held the materia orb tightly in my hand as I stood next to his crib. I concentrated and watched as a dark haze drifted over Logan's sleeping form. After a few moments the haze dissipated and I left his room once more. I gathered all my materia back into the cloth sack then placed it back in my drawer before leaving the condo.

I stopped at the top of the steps that led down to the beach and searched for Reno. I found his solitary form standing near in the surf. I kicked my sandals off and rolled my pants up then descended the stairs and made my way toward him. As I approached he turned to look at me before diverting his attention back to the ocean. I stopped beside him and folded my arms in front of my chest. I probably should have brought a jacket along. It was colder out than I thought.

After almost three minutes of silence I finally turned my head in Reno's direction. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Reno reached into his pocket and produced an oyster shell. "I forgot to give you Logan's oyster back."

I took it from him and opened the mouth of the oyster, seeing the shimmering pearl that was nestled inside. "I'll give it to him in the morning." I clasped it in my hand and turned to Reno. "Look, I think I owe you a huge apology. I never knew about your mother and sister. I never knew you were forced to do what you did."

Reno looked over at me. "Does that mean you finally forgive me for what I've done?" He asked, the tiniest hint of excitement in his voice.

I nodded my head. "You were defending the two people that meant the world to you. You had a choice: destroy the plate or watch your remaining family be slaughtered. I think you made the right decision even though it ended up to be all in vain."

"My sister was getting ready to turn sixteen. I had a huge birthday party set up for her and everything." I could hear in Reno's voice that he was starting to lose it.

That's when I decided to move in. I came around in front of him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I know what it feels like to lose the ones you love."

He gingerly wrapped his arms around my waist and rested the side of his face against my head. "What happened to you?" He whispered.

"My mother died when I was a little girl. When I was fifteen, Sephiroth destroyed Nibleheim and killed my father." I stepped away from him, far enough so that he could see. I lifted my shirt up far enough so he could see a good portion of the scar Sephiroth had given me. "He also did this to me."

Reno reached his hand out and traced the thick, dark scar with his finger. I flinched slightly at his touch. "How did you survive?"

I shook my head. "I don't remember much after it happened. I remember Cloud pulling me out of the way before I passed out. When I woke up, I was in a strange place. I didn't know where I was and the man that my rescuer had left me with was a stranger. It wasn't until five years later that I found Cloud passed out at the train station."

I lowered my shirt and stepped towards him again. "Gee, I guess you've had it pretty rough too."

"You could say that."

"Well, there's one thing we have in common," Reno said after a few moments of silence.

I looked up at him, confused on what he meant. "What do you mean?"

He gazed down into my eyes. "The fact that we're both alone in the world." We were silent for a few more moments before Reno placed his hand under my chin and raised my head so I was looking at him. "Tifa, I know that you and I have never been on good terms, but now that we've been spending all this time together I realize that you're really an amazing person. Cloud's a fucking moron for not seeing that."

I smiled. "So, what exactly are you saying, Reno?"

He took a deep breath and let his hand fall from where it was supporting my chin. He shoved his hands into his pockets and cast his eyes downward while mumbling incoherently. "Well, you know, I…uh, you see…" He trailed off and looked back up into my eyes. His teal eyes glistened as he stared into my soul. "I, uh, I…I love you, Tifa."

My eyes widened in shock and I almost had to ask him to repeat what he just said. He had caught me completely off guard. After many moments, he looked at me expecting an answer. I stuttered for a few seconds before I finally was able to regain my composure. I smiled and moved closer to him. "I love you too."

One corner of Reno's mouth curled up. He brought his hands up and lazily ran his fingers through my hair before cupping my face with his hands. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against mine before kissing me fully. He moved his hands down my body until they came to rest low on my hips. A warmth surrounded us until I could feel no trace of the cool breeze that swirled around my bare arms minutes ago. I dropped the oyster shell that was still in my hand and weaved my fingers through Reno's hair.

He gently pushed his tongue up against my lips, begging for entry into my mouth. I parted my lips and allowed his tongue to do the exploring. He moved his hands from my hips and slid them beneath my shirt. He traced my scar from where it started at the bottom of my rib cage all the way to my left shoulder. I physically shrank back once again as he touched my scar. I never wanted anyone to touch it. To me, it was ugly; something that no other human being should see.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back to him.

"It's ugly, isn't it?" I asked him, looking up into his eyes.

He shook his head. "No, I think it's beautiful."

Those few words alone made me feel a thousand times better about my scar then I ever did before. Reno leaned down to give me another kiss but I stopped him. He looked at me with a puzzled look swirling around in his teal colored eyes. "What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?"

"Nine o'clock." He wasted no time in occupying my mouth once again.

It was many long moments before we both pulled back for air. "You wanna spend the night?" I asked, kneeling down and picking up Logan's oyster.

A thoughtful expression made it's way onto Reno's face before he shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, why not?"

I smiled as he took my hand and led me back to my home. I made sure when we got to the top of the staircase that I grabbed my sandals. Once we arrived at my front door, we quietly walked in and I checked to make sure Logan was still asleep before joining Reno in my room. I closed the door and pulled back the covers on my bed. I turned around and inspected what he was wearing. Faded jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. Not exactly the type of clothes that you wear to bed.

"Well, you wanna borrow something to sleep in?" I asked, going to my closet.

Reno shook his head. "No, I'd rather not look like a fag, thank you very much."

I rolled my eyes. "Calm down. When Cloud left he didn't take all of his clothes. He left a few plaid pajama pants so I held onto them." I pulled a red pair of plaid pj's out of my closet and tossed them to him.

"Well, alright if you insist." He tossed the pants down onto my bed and kicked his shoes off of his feet then dropped his pants. I stood in front of my closet with my mouth hanging open, appalled that he'd do something like that. "What?" He asked, like he went around changing in front of women everyday.

I shook my head as I kicked my sandals into my closet. "Nothing."

Reno came up behind me while I was closing my closet door and wrapped his arms around my waist, hoisting me into the air. I squealed as quietly as I possibly could and just about had a panic attack when he threw me onto my bed. I rolled onto my back and started laughing as soon as I hit the mattress. Reno plopped down beside me and started roughly tickling my sides. I tried to squirm away from him but he had an iron grip on me and I couldn't get free. I had to bite down on my tongue to prevent myself from squealing and laughing.

"Stop! Stop!" I pleaded as I started to laugh. My sides were starting to hurt, not from Reno's tickling, but from the exertion of holding in all my laughter. "Mercy! Mercy, Reno, stop!"

"Oh, fine," he said, withdrawing his hands from my sides.

I giggled a little more as I rolled away from him. I jumped off of the bed and shut the light switch off before going back over to my bedside table and turning my small lamp on. I climbed onto one side of the bed and pulled the covers up around me. I looked up at Reno a few seconds later. "Well, are you going to join me or sleep on the floor?"

Reno rolled his eyes before getting up and going to the other side of the bed. He lay down and wrapped one of his arms around my waist; the other grabbed one of my hands into his own. He kissed the back of my hand before kissing me gently on the forehead. "Let's hit the sack."

I nodded then rolled around so I could reach the lamp. Once it was shut off, I cuddled into Reno's chest and before long both of us were soundly asleep


	16. Court Date After Math

**Disclaimer:**

Nah, still don't own it and probably never will...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, after you finish reading this extremely short chapter you're probably gonna want to hunt me down and kill me in cold blood. And sorry for forgetting about Tifa's mothering skills in the previous chapter. I had it all planned out but just forgot to add it in. I'll update the chapter later when I don't feel so lazy. Anyhoo, for the one reviewer who was rather disappointed that there wasn't a sex scene last chapter, I can explain. I wanna give the two time to develop stronger feelings before any of that happens and after this chapter you're gonna understand why. The lemon will be in later chapters and yes I will change the rating when I upload the chapter that it is in. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. They've really inspired me. I've already made great progress with chapter 17 and hope to have it up sometime soon. Please review after you read and please try to keep the death threats to a minimum...

* * *

_**That night. Cloud's apartment.**_

Cloud paced back and forth in front of his bed, a look of extreme anger and rage on his face. He thought for sure that he would win custody; Randy had dug up every single dirty thing that Reno had done while he was in the Turks, but the second he opened his mouth about his family is when the battle was lost for Cloud.

Getting back with Tifa and raising their son had been the only thing on Cloud's mind for so long that his heart physically ached. He just couldn't believe that she would deny him the right to start over anew. He had come to her, vulnerable, and she still cut him down and humiliated him.

He collapsed onto his bed and rested his elbows on his knees, propping his head in his hands. He was so angry after the judge read the verdict that he left immediately after court had ended. He didn't even want to look at Tifa anymore. What she had done to him was unforgivable. He had never been so humiliated in all his life.

He quickly got up and resumed his pacing, this time talking to no one in particular. "How could she do this to me?" He shouted, raising his hands to his head, tempted to start ripping his golden hair out by the roots. "I would have won! I should have won! Logan is my son too! She can't deny me my son!"

"_Cloud, don't get so angry,"_ a soft voice said from behind him.

Cloud froze and whirled around, his jaw dropped when he saw the oh so familiar face of the innocent flower girl that had stolen his heart. "Aeris?" He asked, taking a few hesitant steps toward her.

She smiled. _"Yes, Cloud, it's me."_

"What are you doing here?" He asked, moving closer to her.

"_I have returned to help you in your time of need."_

"Please, I don't know what to do," he said, his shoulders slumping.

"_Don't fret. Tifa does not know what she is doing either. Reno spoke lies in the courtroom today. He made up the story of his mother and sister just to make the jury take Tifa's side," _Aeris said, her words growing more hateful and venomous.

Cloud nodded his head, believing her every word. "Yes, he lied. Tifa told him to lie; she didn't want me to win custody."

"_Exactly. We must pay them back."_

"But how?" Cloud asked, wanting to find out where Aeris was going.

"_If the courts won't reward you Logan then you must take him yourself." _

A thoughtful look washed into Cloud's eyes. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that? But how can we kidnap him?"

Aeris smiled sinisterly before a white light engulfed her. When the light died, Tifa stood before Cloud.

"Aeris?" Cloud asked, unsure of what was going on.

"_This is how we kidnap Logan. I will disguise myself as Tifa. Logan won't know the difference." _Even Aeris's voice had changed to match Tifa's.

Cloud's excitement rose. "When?" He asked. "When will we do this?"

Aeris returned to her normal form. _"Soon, my dear Cloud, soon."_ She smirked and a bright green glow permeated from her once tranquil eyes.


	17. Eavesdropper

**Disclaimer:**

No, still don't own it...

**Author's Note:**

Man, three chapters in one week... I am on FIRE! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I'm glad that all of you liked that little plot twist I threw in last chapter! I've had that idea in my little head for a long time but I really wasn't sure how I was going to do it but then I thought 'Cloud is obsessed with Aeris so why not letthe object of affection make her appearance?' But, anyways, I hope you guys like what I did with this chapter.

Oh, and the glowy eye thing in the last chapter will all be explained in due time...patience, my children, patience...

Oh and I'm gonna be working on all the mixed up chapters here pretty soon. I just have to figure out which ones I have to exchange and it'll be fixed.

* * *

That morning when I woke up Reno was gone. I looked at my alarm clock and cursed. It was almost noon. He had left for work almost four hours ago. I sighed and flopped over onto my back. I was hoping that he would have woken me up so I could at least say good-bye to him. I rolled back over onto my side and smiled when the scent of Reno's cologne drifted up from the pillowcase. A warm, fuzzy feeling rose from the pit of my stomach as I tried to imagine that he was still lying next to me.

After a few long moments I finally got up. I stretched my arms far over my head and yawned. I had no clue what I was going to do until I had to go to work. Maybe I'd call Barret and take him up on his offer of Logan spending the night with him and Marlene. Corel was only a couple hours drive away. Barret would have enough time to drive here and get him before I had to go to work.

I walked out of my room and found Logan lying on the floor with his chin propped up in his hands, watching his favorite TV show. I sat down next to him. "Good morning, little man."

"Morning, Mommy," he said, while still keeping his attention on the TV.

"Did you sleep good?" I asked, running my fingers through his hair.

"Yeah," he replied.

I smiled. He never really was very good at conversation when he was watching TV. I figured I'd bring up the subject of him spending the night with Marlene after his show was over. I got up and made my way into the kitchen where I kept my house phone. I picked it up from the dock and dialed Barret's number. It ran a few times before Barret's gruff voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" He said, not sounding very happy at all.

"Hi, Barret, it's Tifa."

"Oh, hey there, Teef. Whatcha up to?"

"Oh, I was just wondering." I paused for a couple seconds. "Is that offer of Logan spending the night with you and Marlene still open?"

"Well, of course it is. Logan's always welcome here with me an' Marlene. She hasn't seen him for a while anyhow. She'll be excited he's coming to visit."

"Is tonight all right?" I asked, walking out of the kitchen and sitting down on the couch.

"Well, let me see here." Barret was silent for a few moments. "Marlene'll be out of school here in 'bout an hour. After she gets home I'll come and get him, how does that sound?"

"Wonderful. He's watching a TV show right now so I'll tell him after it's over. Thanks again, Barret."

"Hey, no problem. Havin' Logan over here at my house means that you get a little time to yourself. What time do you want Logan home tomorrow?"

"Well, I don't have to go to work until six o'clock so why don't you have him home between four and five?"

"Sure I can do that."

"Thanks again, Barret. See you in a few hours."

"Alright, Teef. See ya."

I hung the phone up and returned it to the dock. I leaned up against the kitchen entryway and watched Logan as he sat there swinging his feet back and forth, intently watching his show. I was still so proud of the fact that I had won custody. Hopefully things would start to turn up.

Logan's television show ended and he got up and toddled over to me. He grabbed onto my shirt and looked up at me. "Who you talk to?"

I kneeled down in front of him and placed my hand on his cheek. "What do you think about spending the night at Marlene's house?"

Logan smiled widely. "Yeah, I wanna see Marlene!"

"Okay, Barret and Marlene will be here in a few hours to pick you up."

"Okay!" Logan exclaimed, dashing off down the hall to his room.

I followed him and stood in his doorway. "They won't be coming for a while. You don't have to pack yet."

"I wanna," he said, grabbing a few shirts and a couple pairs of shorts out of his dresser. He ran up to me and tugged on my shirt some more. "Do you think we go to Golden Saucer?"

"Maybe. I'll give you some gil just in case you do go. Can you pack by yourself?" I asked as he ran back to collect more clothing.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed, getting socks.

I smiled. "Okay, come get me when you're done."

I walked back into the living room and switched off the TV. I grabbed the book that I had failed to read for the past few weeks and quickly delved back into it, soon finding out that I had forgotten most of what was going on. I sighed as I walked over to the small bookcase by the couch and looked around for another book to read. I found an old mushy romance novel that I had fallen in love with and decided to read that instead. I placed the previous book back on the shelf and sat down on the couch to do some reading before Logan came clambering back into the living room.

I made it only three chapters into my book when Logan ran back into the room. He pulled on my arm restlessly. "Come on, Mommy! I finished!"

"Okay, okay," I said, placing a bookmark on my page and setting it down on the coffee table. "I'm coming." I got up and followed my eager toddler back into his room.

He had his small duffel bag stuffed with clothes to the point that he couldn't get it zipped. I laughed as I sat down in front of it. "Logan, you don't need this many clothes. You're only staying one night." I began to sort through all the clothes he had stuffed in his duffel bag. After about ten minutes of asking him which shirts and shorts he wanted to take he decided on two pairs of his favorite denim shorts and three of his favorite shirts. I also packed his sandals and three pairs of socks.

Hey, kids have an uncanny ability of getting dirty, especially two-year-old little boys. Over packing is almost a necessity when they're away from home overnight.

After all the clothes he wanted to bring were in order I made sure to include enough diapers to get him through the next twenty-four hours. Barret knew how to change diapers, this I was sure of. Marlene may not be his biological child but I remember him telling me that when he first adopted her he had a 'hell of a time figuring out how to change her diapers.' Quote unquote.

Logan grabbed his blanket and plush chocobo then went out to sit on the couch. I looked at the clock and it was almost three. Barret, knowing his driving skills, would be here any time. I peered into the kitchen and settled on doing the dishes.

I had just finished filling the sink with hot water and soap when my cell phone started ringing. I rolled my eyes, not really wanting to run into my room and get it. "Logan, answer Mommy's cell phone!"

"Okay," came his simple response.

As I waited for my son to bring me the phone, I began scrubbing the dirty plates and bowls. I stopped and listened when the ringing stopped.

"Hello?" A brief pause. "Yeah, who this?" Another pause. "Unca Reno! Yeah."

I smiled and wiped my hands off then turned around to retrieve my cell phone from my son. I put the phone to my ear. "Hi, Reno."

"Hey there beautiful. What you doin'?"

I rolled my eyes as I got back to washing the dishes. "Washing all the dirty dishes."

"Oh." He paused. "Hey, uh, you're still going into work at six, right?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked, straightening.

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to do something."

I smiled at the thought of getting to spend three hours with Reno before I had to go to work. I knew that I'd probably be in a better mood when I left than I usually was. "Alright, what do you wanna do?"

"I don't know. Why don't I come over? We can figure it out from there."

"Okay." I paused as a thought occurred to me. "Hold on, are you off work already?"

"Yeah, no more ships were coming in or going out for the rest of the day so my boss sent me home early instead of making me go in and record all the shipments."

"Oh, that's cool." I jumped as I heard the doorbell. I wedged the phone in between my shoulder and my ear as I dried my hands off. "You can go ahead and come over right now if you want."

"Alright, see you in a bit, babe."

"Bye."

I ended the call and placed it on the dinning room table before walking out of the kitchen. Logan had already wandered over to the door and was in the middle of twisting the doorknob. He was having a little trouble so I opened it for him. As soon as the door had opened Marlene dashed in and grabbed Logan. The nine-year-old little girl twirled around with Logan in her arms, laughing as she did so. Barret followed her in and closed the door behind him.

Once she placed Logan back on the floor he had a hard time regaining his balance and only succeeded in falling onto his bum. "Hi, Marlene!" He said, getting back up on his feet.

Logan and Marlene dashed into Logan's room to play for a while before driving back to Corel. I turned to Barret and gave him a hug. "So, how are you, Papa Bear?" I asked, using the pet name I gave him when we were still living in Midgar.

"Oh, I'm doin' just fine. Being the Mayor of Corel isn't easy but it pays the bills."

"What are you talking about, Barret? You make more money in one month than I do in a half a year."

"Hey, a job like mine'll give you gray hair early."

I looked over and admired his gun arm. That's when a thought occurred to me. "So, when are you getting fitted for your prosthetic?"

"In a few days actually. The doctors told me that they can make me a prosthetic arm that can change back into a gun if need be. I'm actually kinda excited. Haven't had a actual right hand in a while. It's gonna take some getting' used to when I start usin' my right hand again."

The doorbell rang and I smiled, quickly going to the door. I opened it and I squealed as Reno swooped in and grabbed me, lifting me into the air and twirling around. He set me back down and gave me a hug. "How's it goin', babe?"

"Pretty good," I said, laughing.

Reno spotted Barret and immediately stuck out his left hand. "What's up, Barret?"

"Well, same ol', same 'ol, I guess," he mumbled.

I was pretty surprised how well Barret took to Reno. If anything, Barret resented the Turks more than anyone else did. I was relieved that Barret allowed Reno in so easily. Red XIII even took a quick liking to him, but he wasn't around when Reno dropped the plate. He was around for every other time we encountered the Turks though. Especially when we encountered Rude and Reno in the sunken Galinka. Red was already peeved for getting wet when he stepped off the ladder, encountering those two only made his temper worse.

Marlene came running out of Logan's room with his duffel bag in her hands. "Okay, Daddy, let's go now."

"Alright, pumpkin, hold on for a second." He walked over to me and embraced me one last time. "You take care. Logan'll be safe with me. I'll have him home around four tomorrow."

"Alright, Barret. Thanks again." I stepped away from Barret and kneeled in front of my son. "You have fun now. Don't get into too much trouble." I got up and remembered I was supposed to give him some money. I turned to Barret. "Hey, Barret, were you planning on going to the Gold Saucer?"

"Yeah, but I still got that Lifetime pass we bought a while back. I'll pay for anything else Logan wants."

"Are you sure? I could give him some spending money."

"Aw, don't worry 'bout it. I've got him covered." Barret took Logan's duffel from Marlene and gave me one last hug. "See you tomorrow."

"Alright, bye Barret. I'll see you tomorrow, baby," I said, kneeling down and giving Logan one last quick kiss.

"Bye, Mommy! Bye, Unca Reno!" He said as Marlene pulled him toward Barret's car.

Reno waved. "See ya later, sport!"

We watched Barret drive off from the doorway and after he disappeared from view I shut the door. Reno stuffed his hands into his pockets and strode towards the couch. He sat down and beckoned to me. "Come 'ere, you."

I smiled and walked over to him, sitting down on his lap. He gave me quick kiss then sat back. "So, can I call you my girlfriend now?" He asked, with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"If that's what you want to call me."

"Because I was gonna settle on 'sex slave.'"

I slapped his chest. "Reno!"

"What?" He asked, chuckling at the reaction he got out of me.

"Nothing." I settled on resting my head on his chest and shutting up because I knew any smart-ass comment that came out of my mouth Reno would twist and turn into something dirty.

"So," he said, lazily running his fingers through my hair. "When did you finally notice that I left?"

"I woke up at noon."

"Geez, woman. You sure do know how to sleep in."

"Hey, when you work until midnight every night it kinda becomes a habit."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It would." We were silent for many long moments until Reno broke the silence one more. "So, whatcha wanna do?"

I rose my head off of his chest and looked for the nearest clock. It was a little after three thirty. I had about two hours before I had to start getting ready. I thought for a few moments before shrugging. "You have anything in mind?" I asked, looking back at him.

He shook his head. "No, not really."

"You're a really big help you know that, right?" I asked, before laying my head back on his chest.

"I know."

After about ten minutes of sitting on my living room couch thinking about how we were going to waste time until I had to go to work, I finally came up with a good topic of conversation to occupy us out of boredom. "So, you wanna do something after I get off of work?"

"Maybe I'll spend the night again."

I smiled. "Okay."

Reno was silent for a few moments before he took a deep breath. "You know, I've never been in a relationship like this before. All the relationships I've had have been one night stands."

I looked up at him. "What made you change your mind?"

He diverted his eyes away from mine and shrugged, almost like he was a little apprehensive to tell me the truth. Finally after mumbling for a few minutes he turned back to me. "I've just never felt anything like this before. I've never really known what love really is."

"To tell you the truth, neither have I."

Reno frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought I was in love with Cloud. Maybe I was in love with him for a time but it all started when we were kids."

"What happened when you were kids? Did you grow up together or something?" He asked, very intrigued to be hearing about my past.

"Yeah, we grew up in Nibelheim together. He was sort of the outcast. He didn't have any friends and my group always made fun of him. He needed a friend and I guess that's when I started to pity him."

"There's another thing we have in common," Reno said, smiling. "Neither of us have known what love really is."

I smiled and laid my head back on his chest, knowing that no other words needed to be said. We spent the rest of our time together just enjoying each other's company. We would occasionally make small talk, but most of the time he would be playing with my hair and I would be drawing small intricate patterns on his chest with my fingernails. Before I knew it, it was time for me to start getting ready for work.

"Well, I better get goin'," Reno said, as I walked toward my bedroom.

"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a ride?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." He walked towards me and circled his arms around my waist.

"I know that. I just figure it would be easier on both of us." I smiled at him as I placed my hands on his chest.

"Hey, it's alright, babe. My apartment isn't far from here anyways."

"You're staying the night again, right?"

He nodded. "Of course. Just give me a ring after you get off work and I'll meet you here." He leaned down and gave me a lingering kiss before walking towards the door.

"See you tonight." He turned back and smiled at me before disappearing out the door. I grinned before venturing into my room to get ready for work.

Reno stuffed his hands in his pockets and leisurely walked down the street to his apartment. He smiled as he thought of Tifa. She had changed something within him. While he was working for Shinra he had never met a woman that had such a big impact on him. Everything about Tifa just seemed so…perfect and it just seemed so right to be with her.

His pleasant thoughts about Tifa were interrupted when he saw none other than Cloud Strife walk out of a clothes store about a block down. He frowned. The clothes store he had just come out of was a _woman's _clothes store. What the hell would he be doing in there?

His Turk instincts kicked in as he decided to follow him. As he got closer to Cloud it seemed as though he was carrying on a conversation with thin air. He was waving his hands about hysterically but he couldn't hear a word Cloud was saying to his imaginary friend.

"What the hell is Strife's problem?" Reno mumbled to himself as he followed Cloud at a safe distance. "I think the poor boy's finally gone off the deep end."

Reno followed Cloud down on the beach and past all the tourists. There was an old shack two miles down the beach that had been there as long as the little resort town. Sailors used it if their boats ran aground. It was always well stocked with food, clothing and any other necessities that sea going men or women were in need of.

Reno dove into the brush as Cloud looked over his shoulder to make sure no one had followed him before vanishing inside the shack. Reno got a little closer and spied a small window. He crouched as low as he could and slowly made his way towards the shack. Once he reached the window he slowly sat down next to it, trying to over hear Cloud's conversation with the invisible person.

"Okay, Aeris, it's safe now."

_Aeris?_ Reno thought. _Isn't she supposed to be dead?_

Reno shook those thoughts from his head as he heard Aeris's voice. "Are you sure Tifa wears these kinds of clothes?"

"Of course I am. I lived with her for almost six months before I knocked her up. You'd think that I would observe what kind of clothes she wears on a daily basis."

"Well, that's good. I need to look as much like Tifa as I can."

Reno frowned as he listened to a conversation between Cloud and someone that supposed to be dead. _Man, why do things around here just keep getting weirder and weirder? And why does she want to look like Tifa?_

There were a few minutes of shuffling around before Aeris spoke up again. "Well, we're going to abduct him from the day care center, correct? Do you know what her work uniform looks like?"

"No," Cloud said simply.

"I'm going to have to get one. She works at the casino, right?"

"Yeah, she's worked there ever since it opened three years ago."

"Good, wait for me here. I'll be right back."

Reno quickly but quietly got up and hid behind the shack to insure that Aeris didn't see him on her way out. He didn't see Aeris walk away but if he looked close enough he could see where the sand would cave in as she walked down the beach.

_What should I do? Wait here until she gets back or leave now? _

After a few moments of thinking, leaving now would be stupid. He needed to find out what was going on here and he wasn't going to find out by leaving before he found out all the details.

Besides, he was a Turk. He's a professional.


	18. Caught Red Handed

**Disclaimer:**

No...

* * *

Reno waited in the bushes behind the shack until he heard footsteps in the sand. He stayed hidden until he heard the door open and close before going to sit under the window once more.

"Okay, I got one. There was a storeroom near the manager's office with a few extra uniforms."

"So, tonight right?" Came Cloud's hesitant reply.

"Yes, around eleven thirty I will return to the casino and retrieve Logan."

_Logan isn't even in the same town, you doofus._ Reno smiled, in some weird way these two were like a modified version of the Three Stooges.

Then suddenly he felt the strange urge to sneeze. His mind began reeling.

_Fuck! I can't sneeze, but if I get up too fast they'll know I'm here._

In desperation, Reno shoved his head down into the sand and tried his best to keep from inhaling it and holding in his sneeze. After a few seconds, his sneeze came out in the form of a small squeak that escaped through his nose. He lifted his head from the sand and stayed perfectly still, hoping that nobody heard him.

He was getting ready to get up and try to slink away when his whole body froze. He tried to move his limbs but was unsuccessful.

_Shit…_

"Well, what do we have here?"

"Someone who just inhaled a whole shit load of sand. Now I'd be very grateful if you let me go so I could blow my nose."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

"Well, why not? I haven't done anything to you, have I?" Reno asked, getting agitated.

"Because you overheard our plan that's why. We couldn't possibly let you go because you'd go directly to Tifa and tell her."

"Gee, Einstein, when'd you figure that out?"

A few seconds later Reno was lifted off of the ground a good three feet and rotated around so Aeris could see him. Cloud chose this time to come out of the shack and stared dumfounded at Reno.

"What are you doing here?" Cloud asked, pointing his index finger at Reno.

"Well, isn't it obvious? I'm surprised, Strife, I thought you were a little smarter than this."

Then, all of a sudden, it was like an invisible hand had constricted around his throat and was slowly putting more and more pressure into choking him. "Never, ever insult Cloud like that,"Aeris said vehemently as she applied more and more force on Reno's throat. "Do you understand me?"

Reno made the closest sound to 'yes' that he could muster before his throat was relieved. He took in deep, gasping breaths trying to get more air to his lungs. "Sorry," he said, after he regained himself.

"Well, what should we do to him?" Cloud asked, looking to Aeris for guidance.

"We keep him captive."

Aeris turned around and started walking back into the shack and, to Reno's utter amazement, he started moving in the direction Aeris was moving. It was like she had picked up some sort of telekinetic power that she, obviously, never had before.

Once inside the shack, Aeris guided him to the back wall. She made it so he was sitting in the corner with his hands shackled to the wall and his ankles anchored to the floor. But, of course, the shackles were visible.

"You better let me out of this or I'll-"

"You'll do what? It doesn't look like you're going to be going anywhere for a while."

Reno leaned his head against the wall and resigned himself to his fate. Aeris and Cloud started talking about their battle plan for that night. Aeris changed into the uniform that she had stolen from the casino and changed into Tifa once again.

"Wait here, Cloud, and when I leave make sure to tie Reno up so he won't escape. I'll be back in a little."

Reno was dumbfounded. He was staring at what looked like Tifa but it wasn't. Aeris sounded and looked exactly like her. _Okay, something here isn't right._

Soon after Aeris left, Cloud ventured into the pantry and retrieved some rope then proceeded to tie Reno up with it. Once he was done, Cloud went and sat down at the table and waited. After many long moments the silence was driving Reno absolutely crazy. "So, Strife, how do you expect Aeris is gonna walk right into that casino unnoticed by Tifa or any of the people she works with? You guys are a few cans short of a six pack if you ask me."

Cloud looked at Reno like he was some kind of retard. "She'll make herself invisible. No one will see her."

"Well, don't you think it'll look a little odd if she magically appears in the middle of the casino floor? If she does that you can just kiss kidnapping Logan away because regular human beings just don't appear and disappear at will, ya know."

"She knows that," Cloud said, sounding almost bored with Reno.

Reno rolled his eyes and rested his head against the rotting wood of the shack.

Only an hour later, Aeris stormed back into the shack and hastily returned to her own form. She strode over to Reno and stared down at him with a fire smoldering in her eyes.

"Where is he?" She asked, venom dripping from her voice.

Reno smiled for he knew that Logan being gone was not in their plan. He chuckled before he answered her. "You really think I would tell you? Sorry, my lips are sealed."

Aeris glowered at him for a few moments before she raised her hands with her fingers extending outward towards Reno. Suddenly electricity shot from her finger tips and swarmed around Reno's body, flicking over his chest, arms and legs. Reno clamped his eyes shut and bit down on his tongue to keep from screaming. He didn't want to give that wench the satisfaction that she was causing him pain.

After what seemed like forever, she stopped. Reno's whole body went lax. He could barely move and sweat was beginning to run down his face. He wasn't about to lie. What Aeris had just done had hurt more than anything he had ever felt. It was almost like those miniature bolts of lightning were ripping apart his insides and tearing through his muscles.

"Well, will you tell me? Where is Logan?"

Reno looked up at Aeris, still breathing heavily. "Go to Hell," he said, his voice raspy.

"Very well."

The electricity shot from her fingers once more and the bolts coiled around his body, touching every sensitive nerve and tearing it apart with its searing pain. Reno couldn't keep it held in anymore and finally let his screams echo out into the night. Tears started to fall from his eyes as he started to lose consciousness.

Aeris chose this time to stop.

"I'll give you one last chance before I kill you. Will you tell me where Logan is?"

Reno started to chuckle, which probably confused Aeris just a fraction. "What will you accomplish by killing me? If you kill me you'll never figure out where Logan is."

Aeris looked thoughtful for a while before speaking. "You're right."

When Reno thought she would turn around and walk away she did the total opposite. This time she used her telekinetic powers to pick up small shards of shattered glass and proceeded to leave small cuts all over his body. Reno's whole body ached from her recent attacks and the small cuts that were being distributed throughout his body was only making the searing pain even worse.

One human being can only take so much pain and Reno reached his limit, passing out cold seconds later.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I left work that night right at midnight and decided to wait until I got home to call Reno. I was really tired so I wanted to get in bed as soon as he came over.

Work had been murder. Tony was flooded at the bar and couldn't get our drink orders to us as fast as he usually does so all of the girls had to go to one of the restaurant's bars to get the drinks. Tony was so flooded, in fact, that he pulled me from cocktail waitress to bartender for five hours of my six-hour shift. Raoul dropped by around eight o'clock and told me that he would pay me extra for helping Tony out, which I was eternally grateful for.

I collapsed into the seat of my truck and rubbed my sore neck. "Man, I really need a back massage." On top of a sore neck and back, my feet were also killing me. I had forgotten to kick my high heels off and ended up standing on my two inch heels for five hours. Usually during my shift I'm walking around so my heels don't make my feet hurt as much but just standing behind a bar made me hate life by the end of the night.

I drove back to the condo in no real hurry. Once I was inside, I kicked my heels off and grabbed my cell phone from my purse and dialed Reno's number.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno jumped awake when he heard his cell phone go off. Aeris looked at him. "Who is it?"

Reno shrugged. "It's probably Tifa. I was supposed to go over to her house after work."

"Let it ring," Cloud said from where he was sitting on the other side of the shack.

Aeris nodded and went back to what she was doing. Reno began struggling at the invisible restraints around his wrists and ankles but soon gave up as he realized that he wouldn't be able to get free of them. He rested his head against the hard wood of the wall and closed his eyes, trying once more to fall asleep.

Sometime during the night, Aeris had drifted off to sleep, allowing Reno to be freed of the restraints around his wrists and ankles. Fortunately, Reno was awake when he was released. It took all the remaining strength in Reno's body to keep his arms from violently slapping against the wall. He rubbed his wrists and ankles and tried to figure out how he was going to sneak out without waking anyone up.

Both Cloud and Aeris were sound asleep in two cots against the far wall. If he was quiet enough he could sneak out and try to make his way to Tifa's house.

After a few minutes he unsteadily rose onto his feet and began to slowly make his way towards the door. He made sure he kept his eyes on the two sleeping forms in the back just in case he needed to book it out of there. He managed to reach the door successfully and then proceeded to open it. He opened it wide enough for him to slip out before he took off down the beach toward town and Tifa's house.

"Man, this must be my lucky day," he mumbled as he ran, not paying attention to his sore muscles and aching body.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I was disappointed when Reno didn't answer his phone but decided to stay up for a while and wait for him just in case he showed up. One o'clock rolled around and he still had not shown up so I just went to bed. I was exhausted and my bed was calling my name.

"I should have known he wouldn't show up," I mumbled as I got dressed for bed. "I should have known."

Inside I was hurt. I had been stood up many times in my life and I didn't want it to happen anymore. I wanted to find someone to love me, someone who would do anything for me. I wanted, more than anything, for Reno to be that someone. He even said he loved me. He said it to my face, but I guess you can't trust men after all. You can't live with them but you can't live without them.

I drifted off to sleep a little while later, hoping that I wouldn't have dreams about Reno.

I was jolted awake what seemed like only a few minutes later. I turned my blurry, unfocused eyes to the alarm clock on my bedside table. It was almost four o'clock in the morning. I sighed as I heard a loud pounding on the door before rolling out of my bed.

I turned a lamp in the living room on before walking towards the door. "Who the hell is knocking on my door in the middle of the night?" I muttered, not at all happy about being woken up.

I flicked the switch for the outside light and opened the door. I jumped back in horror at the sight of Reno. There were small cuts all over his body and blood had soaked his pants and shirt. My fatigue forgotten, I rushed toward him and caught him before he sunk to the ground. "Oh my God, Reno! What happened?"

I carried him into my room and threw all the blankets off the bed before I helped him lay down. I grabbed a chair from the dining room table and brought it to Reno's bedside. I sat down next to him and put my hand on his cheek. "Reno, what happened?" I repeated.

He opened his eyes and looked over at me, fatigue swimming through his teal colored orbs. "When I left, I saw Cloud walk out of a woman's clothing store so I decided to follow him. As I walked behind him, it seemed like he was talking to someone. He walked down to the sailor's shack two miles down the beach. When he got there, Aeris was with him."

I frowned. "Reno, Aeris is dead. She couldn't be with Cloud."

"Well, she was and they're gonna kidnap Logan. They even tried tonight. Good thing he's in Corel."

"What?"

"Yeah, Aeris disguised herself as you and tried to go to the casino to get Logan."

"Well, what happened to you?" I asked, examining a few of the cuts on his arm.

"They caught me. Aeris left soon after I got caught and once she got back she tried to get where he was out of me but I didn't cave."

"Oh, Reno," I said, tears starting to come to my eyes. "Well, hold on. We have to get these cuts cleaned up."

I pushed the chair aside and opened the bottom drawer of my bedside table once again. I emptied my materia orbs onto the floor and searched around for my Master Cure materia. I smiled when I found it then placed the different colored orbs back in the bag and put it back in the drawer. I placed the green materia orb beside my alarm clock and hovered over Reno.

"Well, I'm gonna have to get you out of those clothes." I started to take off his shoes and socks with no protest from him. He was too exhausted to care. I managed to get his shirt off of him with minimal difficulty before moving to his pants.

Once he was lying on my bed in his boxers, I picked up my Master Cure materia and sat back down in the chair. I wrapped my hands tightly around the green orb and concentrated. A few seconds later, the materia flared to life and small green tendrils leapt from the surface and wrapped around Reno's body, repairing the damage that had been done and closing up the many small cuts all over his body.

After the materia had worked its magic, I placed the green orb back on my bedside table and leaned in close to look at some of Reno's cuts. They had closed up and small white scars replaced the open cuts. The scars would eventually lighten and become harder to see.

I pushed the chair back and sighed, walking out of my room to get a bowl of warm water and a washrag. The materia had closed the cuts up but didn't get rid of the blood that had caked itself on Reno's skin so I would have to remove it myself.

Once I retrieved everything I needed, I settled back into the chair and slowly began to scrub off the blood from Reno's body. After about a half an hour of careful scrubbing I finally washed off all of the blood. I poured the water out in the bathroom sink and left the bowl in kitchen sink before returning to my room and pulling out something for Reno to wear. I returned to his bedside and put my hand on shoulder, shaking it slightly to wake him up.

He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to adjust them to the light before he looked at me. "What?" He asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Here," I said, handing him the shirt and the pants. "Put these on so you won't be so cold."

He grabbed the shirt and pants from my hand and rose from the bed as I went to collect all the blankets that I had thrown on the floor. "Reno, what are we gonna do?"

He pulled the shirt over his head and stepped into the pants. He looked at me helplessly. "I don't know. You just can't let Logan out of your sight until we get to the bottom of this."

I nodded before walking back towards the bed. I threw the blankets back on the bed and we both climbed in. "Just don't do anything like that ever again. Whatever Aeris did to you she probably could have done worse."

"Hey, don't worry about me," Reno said, trailing his fingers down my cheek. "I used to be a Turk. I think I can handle myself." I nodded as I cuddled up against his chest. "Hey, thanks for fixin' me up. I feel a lot better."

"No problem."

"Good thing I don't have to go in to work tomorrow," Reno said, rubbing his eyes. "Let's go to sleep, babe. I'm bushed." Because Reno was on the side that was closer to the lamp he reached over and flicked it off. He gave me a quick kiss in the dark before yawning. "See ya in the mornin', babe."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Once again, thank you to all of you who reviewed. Oh, and one more thing, how many of you caught the Star Wars referances in this chapter?

Till next chapter!

DragonGirl323


	19. Forgotten

**Disclaimer:**

No, I STILL don't own it...

**Author's Note:**

Well, hello, hello, hello! I'm so happy about how many of you who recognized the little Star Wars bit. For all of you who didn't catch it, when Aeris choked Reno with an invisible that was what Darth Vader did a lot and when she electrocuted him that was Darth Sidious a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine. I hope those two bits didn't make the fic cheesy or anything... Anyhoo, I hope you like this chapter. I'll get the next one up as soon as I can. Later!

* * *

The next day when Barret brought Logan home I acted as though everything was right with the world. I knew that if my faced showed the slightest bit of distress that Barret would refuse to leave and end up bleeding each and every piece of information out of me. Things went smoothly and I got Logan settled back in at home.

Reno volunteered to stay with Logan at the house. He wanted to protect Logan just as much as I did and knowing that Reno was taking care of him, I left for work with a little bit of a lighter spirit. Work went as it usually did. Tony only needed minimal help behind the bar so I didn't have to spend all my time standing.

After work, I immediately went home to see how things were going. Reno had put Logan to bed early and after both of us got dressed for bed we sat down on the living room couch and talked.

"So, what are we going to do?" I asked, from my place in his lap.

He bit his bottom lip in thought. "Well, I can look out for Logan when you have to work until all of this blows over. You can't bring him to the day care center or have anyone watch him. From what I heard Aeris can imitate people."

I nodded. "You don't mind, do you?"

He shook his head, causing his fire red hair to sway back and forth. "Of course not. I love the little munchkin about as much as you do."

I smiled and nuzzled my head into his shirt. "I love you, Reno."

"Yeah, I love you too, babe," he said, running his fingers through my hair.

And that's exactly what we did. September, October and November passed by rather quickly, almost as if time had sped up. Reno watched Logan whenever I couldn't and when I was with Logan I never let him out of my sight. Reno spent the night at my house every night only returning to his apartment to get more clothes.

On the third of December, Reno and I were sitting at the dining room table skinning potatoes for dinner that night. I didn't need to go to work so Reno wanted to help me make dinner. I bit my lip as I watched Reno carefully finish skinning a potato. I had been thinking about asking him to move in with me. He practically lived here anyways and he was paying five hundred gil a month for an apartment that he didn't even live in. Reno must have caught the far off look in my eye because he reached across the table and grabbed onto my hand.

"Hey, babe, what's wrong?" He asked, gently massaging the skin on the back of my hand.

I looked up at him like I didn't know what he was talking about before turning my eyes back to the half-skinned potato. "I'm not even sure if I want to ask you anymore."

Reno frowned before getting up and coming around the table to kneel in front of me. "What is it? You can tell me."

I took a deep breath and sighed before looking at him. Better now than never, Lockheart. "Will you move in with me?"

Reno was silent for a while before his thin mouth curled into a wide smile. "I've been waiting for you to ask me that for a while now. What took you so long?"

"Are you serious? You really want to move in with me and Logan?" I asked, almost not believing what he had just.

He nodded. "Of course. I haven't slept at my own apartment now for almost four months. Why pay rent for something you're not going to live in?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Later that week, I helped Reno pack up all of the things that he wanted to bring with him. I made room in my closet for all of his clothes and even rearranged my room to incorporate a few of the things he had in his room. Reno went out and bought himself a safe to put his guns and mag rod in so Logan couldn't get a hold of them.

As Christmas got closer, Reno helped me decorate my house, inside and out. He also helped me get Christmas cards out to all of the Avalanche members but not without signing every card and leaving a short message. He even volunteered to do some of Logan's Christmas shopping.

So, while he was shopping for Logan, I was shopping for Reno.

Christmas morning Reno surprised me with a diamond bracelet, diamond earrings and a necklace that had my birthstone, an emerald, on the end of the chain. I was breathless to say the least. I never thought that he would get me such wonderful and beautiful gifts. I thanked him profusely and gave him a kiss before I handed him the three gifts I got him.

I got him a cologne set, a black leather bomber jacket and bullets for his handgun. He had told me a few weeks earlier that he was running out of bullets so I took it upon myself to get him some more.

Logan received many new toys and some new clothes as well. He would be preoccupied for quite a while.

Christmas passed by so fast that before I knew it, it was time for me to return to work. Raoul had given me four days off, including Christmas. I had pushed the thought of Cloud kidnapping Logan out of my mind. It had been over three months and neither Reno or I had seen or heard anything of Cloud. Both of us figured that him and Aeris had just forgotten about the whole thing, we were hoping.

At the end of January, Reno had to go back to Junon for three days to meet with Reeve. So that meant I would be left alone to defend Logan. The day before he left for Junon, Reno reassured me.

"Babe, don't worry about it. Cloud and Aeris have more than likely forgot about the whole thing. I don't think you have to worry about them kidnapping Logan anymore."

I nodded. "But he won't be staying at the day care center until I know it's safe. I'll call Trish later and ask her to baby-sit."

"You do that," he said, leaning down and giving me a long farewell kiss. "I'll be back in a few days. Love ya, babe."

"Love you too." He gave me one more kiss before grabbing his bag and walking out of the house. I sighed and watched him walk toward the harbor from my doorway. A part of me was wishing that I could go with him but I had to work double shifts for the next week and the extra money would really help me out.

Later that evening, I gave Trish a call and asked if she could baby-sit for the next few days. She eagerly accepted and I told her I was working from noon to midnight for the next week. When I offered to pay her double, she immediately declined. "Don't worry about it, Miss Lockheart. I have a job of my own, thirty gil from you is plenty."

"Well, alright. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then."

"I'll be at your house at eleven thirty," Trish said, before hanging up the phone.

I sighed as I placed the phone back on the dock. Logan was watching a show on TV so I decided to wash the dirty clothes. There wasn't an abundance of them but I figured I might as well get them done before they started to pile up. After the wash was done, I sat down on the floor with my son and watched TV with him until it was time for him to go to bed.

I was getting ready to go to bed myself because tomorrow was the first day I had to work double shifts when my phone rang. I rolled my eyes as I fished it out of my purse, I didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment. I was tired and I wanted to get a good night's sleep so I could survive a twelve-hour shift.

I answered my phone, not even bothering to check who it was. "Hello?" I said with a little bit of aggravation in my voice.

"Well, hello to you too," said Reno on the other side of the line.

My mood immediately brightened once I heard my boyfriend's voice. "Oh, sorry, Reno, I didn't know it was you. How are you?"

"Eh, I'm okay. Could be better. How about you?"

"I'm fine. I called Trish and she's going to be babysitting for me until you get home."

"Awesome," he said, before pausing for a few seconds. "Well, just wanted to call and see how you were doin' and that I love you."

"I love you too," I said, smiling.

"I better go. I'll see you in a few days, babe."

"Okay, see you."

I ended the call and put my phone on the charger before climbing under the sheets and going to sleep.

The next morning I woke up at ten o'clock when my alarm went off. To my surprise, Logan was already up and lying in front of the TV watching his favorite show. He looked over at me when I walked into the room and got up, waddling over to me. "Morning, Mommy," he said, stopping in front of me and raising his hands into the air so he could be picked up.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked, sitting down on the couch with him in my lap.

"Okay," he said, rubbing one of his eyes.

"Well, today Trish is going to be here with you all day. I won't be back until tonight."

"I miss you," he said, hugging me.

"I'll miss you too, little man," I replied, wrapping my arms around his small body. "Go ahead and watch more TV. I have to start getting ready."

He hopped off of my lap and went back to lie in front of the TV as I walked into my room and got dressed. I had just finished applying my make-up when I heard the doorbell. I immediately frowned. _Trish never rings the doorbell….._ I shrugged and thought nothing of it as I walked towards the front door.

I opened it and greeted Trish. "Hey, thanks for doing this for me," I said as I stepped aside so she could come in.

"Don't worry about it, Tifa. I love watching Logan."

I frowned again as I walked into my room to get my purse. _She never calls me Tifa either. _I shrugged once again, thinking that Trish had finally relaxed enough to call me by my first name. I pulled my cell phone off of the charger and placed it in my purse before walking out of my room. When I walked back into the living room I found Trish sitting on the couch while Logan sat on the floor.

_She always sits next to Logan when he's watching TV. _"Well, I hope you'll be okay until tonight. If you want you can go down to the beach with Logan and let him play for a while. Just make sure you bring sun tan lotion."

She got up from the couch and followed me over to the garage door. "Okay, I might do that. Hope you have a good time at work. Call if you need anything."

I nodded and smiled before getting in my truck and backing out of the garage. I closed the garage door and didn't see Trish smile devilishly while her eyes glowed a bright green.


	20. Kidnapped!

**Disclaimer:**

No... just no... don't even say it...

**Author's Note:**

Ah, the long awaited update! Holla! Well, I hope you guys like this chapter. I spent quite a while trying to get the right emotion out of Tifa and I think I did a pretty good job. Please leave feedback. I need your reviews!

* * *

Trish awoke with a pounding headache. "Geez, what happened?" She asked herself as she blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to get them to focus.

After man long moments of blurry vision, she finally discovered that she was lying on a pile of trash in a dark alley. "Wonderful," she said, getting up and brushing herself off. "Just what I needed."

She stumbled out of the alley, carefully rubbing the large goose egg that had formed on the crown of her head. She looked at her watch and jumped when she saw that it was almost four o'clock.

"Oh, shit!" She exclaimed as she took off running down the street. "I'm so late! Ms. Lockheart is gonna kill me."

Trish had never been this late before and she hoped that Tifa didn't wait around for her; she didn't want to get Tifa fired because she was late. When she arrived at Tifa's house she knocked briefly before twisting the doorknob, finding it unlocked, and walking inside.

"Ms. Lockheart?" Trish called as she walked through the house. She received no answer and, thinking that she had just taken Logan with her, went to leave.

She was getting ready to walk out the door when she spotted a white piece of paper that had been tapped to the television screen. She immediately thought it was for her from Tifa so she went over and grabbed it then proceeded to read the contents.

_Dear Tifa Lockheart,_

_If you're wondering where your son is, the baby-sitter is certainly not to blame, and if you were thinking Cloud and I had just 'forgotten' about everything you're certainly wrong there. We have him and we are not giving him back. I hope you enjoyed the two years you had with him because you're never going to see him again._

Trish immediately began to panic. She needed to find Tifa. She folded the letter and stuffed it in one of her back pockets before leaving Tifa's house. She sprinted down the road toward the casino as fast as her legs could carry her. When she reached the front doors she ran through them and proceeded to the bar. She had been in the casino a few times before so she knew where she was going, thankfully. She didn't want to be running around for half an hour when she had a serious crisis on her hands.

She skidded to a stop in front of the bartender who gave her a worried look. "Whoa, there! Where's the fire?"

"I need to find Tifa Lockheart! Something bad has just happened!"

The bartender frowned before looking away from Trish and searching the area. He spotted Tifa and called her name, waving his hand in the air.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I frowned when I saw Trish standing at the bar and wondered what she was doing here, especially without my son. I set my tray down on the bar and didn't even get a word in edge wise before Trish jumped on me and shoved a folded piece of paper in my face. "What is it, Trish?"

"Just read it," she said, sitting down on one of the bar stools and taking a deep breath.

A feeling of dread rose up and I was almost afraid to read what Trish had just given me. I reluctantly unfolded the paper and read it. Once I was finished reading it, my knees started to shake and my limbs felt numb. My hands started to shake and I was afraid that if I didn't sit down that second I would collapse. I quickly sat down next to Trish and before I knew it tears were streaming down my face.

"No, this can't be happening." I said over and over to myself like if I said it enough maybe everything would be made better. But not this time. This wasn't a dream and the only that it could be made better was to have my son back safe and sound in my arms. Until then, I don't know what I'll do. I wiped my eyes and looked up. "I have to go."

Tony nodded. "I'll tell Raoul what happened. You do what you have to do."

I reached down and took my high heels off before taking off toward the parking garage. I had to get home as fast as I could, maybe Aeris had left something behind that might help me try to find where she took him.

Once I got home, I came crashing through the garage door and began searching the house. After ten minutes I had found nothing. Everything was in order, the only thing that was missing was Logan's blanket, his chocobo and his diaper bag.

Well, at least Aeris had _some_ sense.

I stood in my living room, fresh tears once again pouring out of my eyes. "Oh God, what am I gonna do?" I asked myself as I walked in around in circles. Every second I wasted might result in something bad happening to Logan. I wouldn't be able to go on living if I arrived just in time to see my little boy slaughtered by a pair of maniacs, knowing that if I had been a few seconds earlier I might have been able to save him. My thoughts raced as I tried to come up with something, anything. "I have to find Reno." My mind made up I quickly got out of my work uniform and threw on a pair of denim shorts, a shirt and my shoes before I ran through the house and into the backyard where I kept the golden chocobo that Cloud had left behind.

I had the chocobo, whose name was Lightning, saddled up and ready to go in less than ten minutes then sped out of Costa del Sol and across the ocean as fast as Lightning could go. After an hour and a half or more I finally saw Junon on the horizon. I spurred Lightning on even faster and before I knew it I was running through the large city towards the tower.

I left Lightning in a chocobo stable then proceeded into the tower and took the elevator up to Reeve's office. The doors of the elevator opened and I wasted no time in sprinting down the hall. I reached Reeve's office door and didn't even bother knocking; I was hoping that Reno was in there with him. I flew through the door and, because I was going so fast, I fell to my knees from my inertia. I looked up and smiled when I saw Reeve and Reno sitting at the desk.

Reno got up from his chair and ran towards me. He kneeled on the floor next to me and grabbed my arms. "Tifa, what is it?" I couldn't hold back the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes any longer. I continued to cry until Reno got sick of it. He grabbed my chin and made me look at him. "Tifa, for God's sake, what happened?" He questioned again.

I mumbled incoherently before I finally managed to choke some words out. "They took him. Reno, they took him."

Reno's eyes flared before he shot up from where he was kneeling. "That son of a bitch!" Reno bellowed, a kind of animalistic rage burning in his eyes.

Reeve chose this time to run over. "Who took who?" He asked, not hearing the beginning of the conversation.

Reno turned toward him. "That dick sucking mother fucker kidnapped Logan!" Reno said, taking much pleasure in not censoring himself.

A horrified look washed onto Reeve's face. "No, Tifa, you can't be serious!" He said, kneeling down and helping me stand.

"I've never been more serious in my life, Reeve," I said as I fell onto Reno's chest, wanting nothing else but for him to hold me.

Reno quickly wrapped his arms around me and tried to calm me down. While Reno continued to rock me in his arms, Reeve scratched his chin in thought and paced. "Well, did you try to look for any clues of where she could have taken him?"

I nodded my head where it was embedded in Reno's shirt. "Yeah," I replied through my sobs. "I tore the whole house apart. She didn't leave anything behind." I paused for a few seconds to catch my breath; the exertion of all that I had just been through on top of all the crying I had been doing was starting to take a toll on me. "It was Trish. I knew there was something weird about the way she was acting but I didn't think anything of it. I just thought she was having a bad day."

"Well, how many times have they tried to kidnap him?" Reeve asked, still pacing.

"This was the first time and they succeeded. I can't believe how stupid I am. I should have never left Logan alone. I should have just taken those three days off. The extra money won't be worth it if my son isn't here with me."

"Well, we need to find that soggy son of a bitch and castrate him," Reno said, bluntly still rubbing my back, offering as much comfort as he could at this point.

"Hold on," Reeve said, keeping up the pacing, which was becoming quite annoying. "We need to think things through. If we rush into things we're liable to miss something important. Is there any place were they would go?"

Reno froze. "I think I know."

I frowned and looked up at him. "How?"

"The old sailor shack on the beach. That's where I followed them. There's bound to be something there."

I gripped Reno's shirt. "Let's go now," I said urgently, pleading with my eyes.

He looked down at me and opened his mouth to object but immediately closed it when he saw the hurt and broken look on my face. He sighed and brought his hands up to my face then gently rested his forehead on mine. We shared a few silent moments before he backed away and looked at Reeve. "Reeve, I gotta go," he said simply. There really was no other way to say that he needed to help me.

Reeve smiled and nodded. "Go ahead. I can take care of everything."

"Thanks, man," Reno said, grabbing my hand and walking towards the door.

"Bye, Reeve!" I said, as Reno pulled the door open.

Reno closed the door behind him and we took off toward the elevator. "So, what's the battle plan, my dear?" Reno said, as we skidded to a halt in front of the elevator doors.

"Find Cloud and beat the living hell out of him and Aeris," I said, slamming my hand on the 'down' button.

"Now there's my fiery little fighter!" Reno exclaimed as we ran into the elevator.

We stood impatiently as we waited for the elevator to make its disgustingly slow descent to the bottom of the tower. Once we reached the bottom, we took off toward where I left Lightning and climbed on her back before traveling across the ocean.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Logan's cries echoed out through the night causing Aeris and Cloud to wince at the ferocity. Logan's fear had turned to pure anger when he found that the girl that was supposed to be Trish was really someone else. He didn't understand how this strange lady could make herself look exactly like Trish but he didn't like her and he wanted his Mommy.

"Come on, Logan," Cloud said, rocking him. "It's Daddy. It's okay. Don't cry."

Cloud's pleas fell on deaf ears. Logan wanted his mother and he was going to get his mother come hell or high water. He'd scream until there was no breath left in his body.

"I can't take all this screaming!" Aeris announced. "I'm scared someone might hear and wonder what's going on."

Cloud paid no attention to her. He was obviously preoccupied with something a lot more serious than wondering if other people heard Logan's cries. Cloud bent down and set Logan on the floor, but, even though his father was no longer holding him Logan continued to scream as though he was being murdered. "Well, maybe his diaper needs to be changed," Cloud said, leaning down and laying Logan on his back. "Yep, he definitely needs to be changed."

Cloud grabbed the diaper bag that Aeris had stuffed with his clothes, diapers, wipes and baby powder. He grabbed a fresh diaper, wipes and baby powder out of the bag and began to work on getting him changed. Once Cloud was finished, Logan's screams of anguish turned in sobs.

"There," he said, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "That's what was wrong." Just as soon as Cloud had finished speaking Logan started up with the same loud, ear piercing screeches that he had been producing only minutes earlier. "I stand thoroughly corrected."

"Well, maybe he's hungry," Aeris said, piping up with some input. "I don't think he's had anything to eat all day long."

"Okay, well, let's get him something to eat then," Cloud said, picking him up from the floor once again. "Hey, Logan, what do you want to eat?"

Logan's cries immediately silenced at the slight mention of food. "Soup," he whispered, his voice almost inaudible.

Cloud nodded. "Soup it is then," he said as he walked into the small kitchen of the considerably small house they managed to purchase upon their arrival in Gongaga.


	21. Take Out The Trash

**Disclaimer:**

**Author Note:**

Ahhhh...revamp is done...finally! Well, all of you better go back and read the whole story over again. If you haven't, go do it right now... I'm not joking...

Anyhoo, I hope you guys like this chapter and the whole revamp I did... Let me know...ciao...

* * *

Reno and I arrived back in Costa del Sol two and a half hours later. Lightning was still a little tired from the journey to Junon and now she had the extra burden of another person. Once we reached the coast, I wanted to go directly to the old sailor's shack but Reno insisted that we search my house one more time.

"Come on, babe, you were panicked. Maybe you missed something. Criminals always leave evidence behind no matter how hard they try not to. Maybe Aeris forgot something."

I was grateful for how he was trying to comfort me and try to strengthen my spirit but when a mother wants to find her child she'll do anything and go through anybody to get him back. Right now all I wanted to do was find Cloud and punch him dead in the face.

Reno and I spent about half an hour scouring the house for any type of clue that might lead us to where Logan was. I was about to fall onto my bed in exasperation when I heard Reno call to me from the bathroom. With renewed vigor, I ran out of my room and charged toward the bathroom door. I saw Reno kneeling in front of the toilet, looking back at me with a sly grin on his face.

"What?" I asked, looking at the floor around him to try and find what had made him call me here.

Reno lifted a balled fist from its place on the ground and hovered it in my direction. I reached my hand out and flinched when Reno dumped a small pile of sand granules onto my palm. "It's not much, but it's more than what we had ten minutes ago. Let's go check out that shack."

Reno and I ran as fast as we could in the deep sand. By the time we reached the old shack my leg muscles were knotted and screaming at me not to take another step. I defied my aching muscles and briskly walked into the shack.

My heart fell. There was nothing inside the shack besides the very large closet in the west wall, two cots and a table with two chairs. Reno hit the doorframe. "Dammit," he whispered.

I sighed. "Well, maybe they left something in the closet. You never know," I said, walking towards the door and opening it. I flicked on the light switch and began to search the shelves of clothes and food cans that were piled in large stacks. Reno joined me and, after awhile, we both gave up and collapsed into the old wood chairs that were around the small table. "Nothing," I said, placing my forehead in the palm of my hand. "I was sure we would find something."

"Yeah, I was to," Reno said, his voice sounding disappointed. "Guess you can't get lucky twice in one day."

I sighed once more and drummed my fingers on the rotted wood of the table. "Come on, there's gotta be some – " I stopped right in the middle of my sentence when I spied a small tin trashcan in the back corner next to the door. Neither Reno nor I had seen it when we came in. I quickly got up from where I was sitting and dashed over to the small trashcan. I sighed in relief when I found that they had forgotten to take out the trash.

I grabbed it and turned it over, causing all the paper inside to come tumbling out. I grabbed each slip of paper separately and discovered that all of them were receipts from the local stores and restaurants around town, except one.

Cloud had bought _three _airship tickets to Gongaga.

I sat staring at the receipt, my hands beginning to shake. "Reno, I think I've found something."

"What?" He asked, walking up behind me and peering over my shoulder. He was silent for a few moments before he chuckled. "I can't believe Strife is _that_ stupid. You'd think if he was using his head that would not be in the trash right now."

"But that's good for us," I said, folding the paper up and putting it in my pocket. "Cloud may have just thrown it in there with the rest of them. He probably doesn't even know it's missing." I got up and looked around. "Do you think they left behind anything else?"

Reno shook his head. "Unless they buried it under the floor boards. That receipt is the only thing."

"Okay, well then we should get back to town and figure out what we're gonna do."

Reno nodded and followed me out of the shack.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Cloud tiptoed out of the room Logan was sleeping in, closing the door quietly. It had taken three hours of unending crying for him to finally become exhausted. Cloud exhaled slowly as he walked down the hall. Taking care of the tyke really was a lot of work.

Aeris was sitting on the couch, flipping through the TV channels when he reentered the living room. He sat down next to her and stared idly at the television. "Anything interesting on?" He asked, resting his hands on the back of his head.

Aeris shook her head and tossed the controller down on the coffee table. "Logan finally fall asleep?" She asked, turning her head to look at him.

He nodded and took a deep breath before speaking. "I just can't shake the feeling that maybe we shouldn't have kidnapped him."

"Don't be ridiculous," Aeris said, getting up and grabbing the controller, turning the TV off. "You wanted to get back at Tifa; I just helped you."

Aeris threw the controller into his lap then disappeared down the hallway, leaving Cloud to sit and ponder her statement.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I was happy that Reno agreed with me on going to Gongaga but he insisted that we leave in the morning. At first I wanted to get out of Costa and on the road to Gongaga as soon as possible but Reno refused and was just about ready to lock me in my room. I finally gave in and when Reno and I returned to the condo, we went straight to bed. The days events had exhausted us; a good night's sleep was in order.


	22. Lost and Found

**Disclaimer:**

I claim to own anything related to Final Fantasybut I do own this story...at least I'm entitled to that much...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, sorry about the long wait but here's the next chapter. I actually had to take a few days to brainstorm but I think I'm back on track. Hope all of you are still out there reading and reviewing... I really want you guys to tell me how I'm doing... I really need it at this point. Well, I hope you like this chapter...let me know how I did after you finish reading...

* * *

The next morning I woke up promptly at nine. I was tempted to fall back asleep but I knew that my son was waiting for his mother to come rescue him and that thought alone was enough to drive the fatigue away from my mind and get me up. Reno was a little miffed about having to wake up at such an ungodly hour but after much poking, nagging and prodding I finally got him out of Dreamland.

"Do you even think Mr. Ghost Whisperer knows he left that receipt behind?" Reno said smugly, as he stood in front of my mirror trying in vain to tame his unruly mane.

I shrugged as I stuffed some clothes and other things like toothbrush and hairbrush into a small backpack. I didn't know how long we were gonna be away from home so it was best to be prepared. "I don't think so. A receipt like that could get lost easily," I said, turning to look at him.

Reno shrugged as well and gave up trying to fix his hair, deciding to get dressed instead. He had borrowed some more of Cloud's old pajamas again. After gathering all of his clothes, he stripped down to his boxers then quickly dressed right in front of me without a second thought. I shook my head and sighed before turning back to my backpack.

"What?" Reno asked, snickering slightly.

"It's gonna take me a while to get used to that."

"What, me getting dressed in front of you?" He asked, walking up beside me and slinging his arm around my shoulders.

"Yes," I replied, slowly sifting through the backpack, making sure I had everything I wanted to bring.

"Why?" Reno asked, moving around in front of me. "Are you shy or something?" He asked, a sly grin plastered to his skinny face.

I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved him out of my way as I walked over to my closet to collect a few more things. "Because a man has never undressed in front of me before. Whenever Cloud got dressed or undressed he always went into the bathroom and whenever I got dressed in front of him he always turned his back."

"Pansy ass," Reno said, as he grabbed his shoes from the floor and put them on.

I snickered at his comment while grabbing another pair of pants out of my closet. "You can be so straight forward sometimes."

"Is that a problem?" He asked, taking a shoe off and dumping a few small rocks into his hand.

"No, I like it actually," I said, stuffing the pants into the backpack.

"Good, 'cause you're gonna have to get used to it," he replied, grinning at me as he put his shoe back on.

I rolled my eyes and continued getting ready. Once I was finished, Reno and I shot outside and quickly got Lightning ready for the trip to Gongaga. We were considering taking an airship but using my Gold Chocobo would be much faster. Before I knew it, Reno and I were sitting on Lightning's back dashing down the coastline towards Gongaga. The scenery was flying by so fast I could barely focus on anything except Reno's back.

Before long, the forest surrounding the small town was visible. Reno placed Lightning in a stable as I went to go find us a room at the local inn. The small town had grown somewhat since my last visit. They had added a few blocks of new houses and a couple new food and clothing stores. They had even put in cobblestone pathways, trees and flowers along the sides of the roads. It had become much more of a peaceful looking place. They had cleaned up the debris of the broken down reactor and the citizens had begun to live a much more productive life now that the shadow of death no longer hung over them.

I was happy for them. Times were definitely changing and these were one of the towns that demonstrated that change.

Once I got the room, Reno and I settled in then talked about our plan of action.

"I'm gonna go scope out the place," he said, strapping his prized electro mag rod onto his belt and turning to me. "If I find the house, I'll eavesdrop for a while then come back."

I nodded and followed him to the door. "Just don't get caught this time."

He leaned over and kissed me briefly before smiling. "Hey, don't worry, babe. I'll be damned if I make the same stupid mistake again." He winked at me before walking out of the room and disappearing down the hallway.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno slinked silently past many rows of dark houses, looking curiously into the windows. He made sure to check every house no matter how non-descript it looked. He had just finished looking through the windows of the last house and still had found nothing. He crouched down near a shrub to think.

_Come on! Where are they? They couldn't have caught wind about us coming here, could they? _

Reno sighed and got up, deciding to head back to the hotel room for the night. Nothing else would get accomplished today. He sighed and stopped in the middle of the road and scratched his head. He was almost reluctant to go back to the hotel room until he found at least one shred of evidence that they were still here. He didn't want to disappoint Tifa and he wanted to find Logan just as bad as she did, if not more.

With his mind set, Reno ventured off to a different part of town, determined to find anything he could before returning to the inn. He was not going to give up. Logan was as just important to him as he was to Tifa. He couldn't let them down now, not when they were so close to finding him.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I waited impatiently back at the inn for Reno's return. I had begun pacing only ten minutes after Reno had left the room and had been doing so for the past hour. The only feeling that was present in my mind was utter fear and nervousness about Reno not finding anything. My heart ached at the mere thought. If Aeris and Cloud had somehow found out that we were coming to Gongaga and had left already…I don't even want to think about what I'd do.

I stopped next to the bed and crossed my arms, staring down at the digital alarm clock on the bedside table. I began to tap my foot restlessly as I watched the numbers change to eleven o'clock. I sat down on the bed and pulled my knees up into my chest. After a few seconds of sitting like that I curled up under the sheets and closed my eyes. I wasn't at all tired, but I figured that pacing in front of the door would only make my nervousness worse.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox._

Almost two hours later Reno plopped down behind a shrub. He had searched every inch of the town and even managed to sneak inside a few houses, but still he found nothing. He sighed and rested on his knees, peeking his head over the shrub peering about for anything unusual. His keen eyes caught a flickering light from a dark house a block away. He frowned. He swore that he walked by that same house at least twice, but he never noticed the light.

Ha, so much for the "keen eyes."

He got up and walked briskly toward the house, making sure to step quietly. He slinked up and crouched next to the window and cautiously peeked over the windowsill. His teal orbs widened when he saw Cloud Strife sitting on the couch with his head lolled over the back and his mouth open slightly fast asleep.

Reno gently collapsed next to the window and sighed in relief. "Thank God," he whispered before crawling away. He stood out in the middle of the street and took in all of his surroundings, memorizing everything about that little house so he could easily find it in the morning.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxox._

I jumped when Reno came crashing back into the room. I was concentrating so hard on a small patch of the comforter that I almost fell off the bed. I looked up at Reno with wide eyes as he rushed towards me.

As Reno was coming at me two thoughts occurred to me: Either he found Logan and was very excited or they were gone and he found a lead.

He grabbed my shoulders and hoisted me up off the bed. "Tifa, I found them!" He announced.

My heart seemed to stop as I stood there in shock. After the initial surprise died down and the full realization of what Reno said hit me, I flung my arms around his neck and squeezed him. In turn, he wrapped his arms around my waist and twirled around quickly before placing me back on the ground.

"Well, they're sleeping right?" I asked, anticipation bubbling up in my voice. "Let's go get him!"

The smiled melted off his face and he breathed in slowly. "Not yet. Trying to get him now could endanger Logan. We need to observe them for a few days and figure out what they're going to do."

"Reno, we may not have a few days. He might be in trouble! We need to rescue him now!"

"Tifa, you don't know how bad I wanted to sneak into that house and get him. I had the perfect opportunity but I didn't take it because I didn't want to put Logan in danger."

I looked at Reno with a bewildered look in my eyes before I broke away from his grasp and began to stride towards the door. "You can stay here. I'm going to get him."

My hand hadn't even fully grasped the door knob when Reno roughly grabbed my right shoulder and twisted me around. He pinned me between himself and the door and clamped my wrists against the doorframe. I tried to struggle against him but he would not relent.

"Please Reno," I pleaded as I meekly tried to get away from him. "I just want my son back."

He shook his head and pursed his lips. "No," he said, his voice low. "I won't let you put yourself in danger. I don't want what happened to me to happen to you. I'd never forgive myself if something bad happened to you."

"I don't care!" I shouted, starting to sob. "I'll gladly give my life for his!"

"It doesn't have to come to that!" Reno shouted just as loud. "Tifa, we will get him back! I swear to you we will!"

At that moment, everything began to crumble. I couldn't keep up the façade any longer. I couldn't keep telling myself that Logan would be fine and that nothing would happen to him because there was that little voice in the back of my mind telling me that everything Reno and I were trying to do was futile. I collapsed against Reno's chest as tears began to pour out of my eyes. I kept telling myself that I needed to be strong and keep a level head about my shoulders so I didn't make a hasty decision that would cost Reno and I our last chance of ever getting him back.

"Hey," Reno whispered, gently rubbing my back. "Logan'll be fine. If he's anything like his mother he'll be okay. And guess what?" He asked, grabbing my chin and making me look at him. "You will be too." He paused and wiped a few of the tears away from my eyes. "Besides, I don't like it when you cry. You're so much more beautiful when you smile."

I smiled and buried my head in his chest again, taking a deep breath. I exhaled slowly and looked up at him again. "I know I will. I have to be strong. If not for me than for Logan."

"That's my girl. Come on, let's hit the sack. Got a big day tomorrow."

Reno and I climbed into bed and as soon as my head hit the pillow I felt asleep overtake me.


	23. Calling Room Service

**Disclaimer:**

Game I no own...story I do...

**Author's Note:**

Here's the next chapter. Sorry with the slow updates I'll get much faster at it I promise you. Oh, and FYI to all you good readers out there. The next chapter is most definetly going to be a Lemon. So all of you people who have been waiting for me to write a sex scene you won't have to wait much longer. It's only a chapter away! So I hope all of you like this chapter first, please send me a review after you finish. More reviews the faster I'll write that Lemon and have it up! Ciao for now!

* * *

"So, do you think they'll find us?" Cloud asked as he put a small piece of ham in Logan's mouth.

Aeris shook her head. "Very unlikely it will be anytime soon. We left behind nothing that would have given us away, right?" She asked, turning to look at him.

Cloud nodded. "I made sure of it." Logan leaned over for another piece of ham.

"Good," she replied, going back to washing the few dishes they had.

"So, Aeris, what are we going to do with Logan?"

Aeris turned around with a puzzled look on her face. "You're going to raise him, of course. What did you think we were going to do with him?"

Cloud shrugged as he wiped Logan's face off and set him on the floor. "I don't know. Sorry I asked."

Cloud sat back in his chair and watched as Logan waddled over to his blanket. As he followed Logan with his eyes the same feeling of foreboding washed over him.

Was he really doing the right thing? Was kidnapping Tifa's only child the right thing?

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

When I woke up that morning, Reno was nowhere to be found.

"Shit," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

I was at least hoping that Reno would still be here so I could go with him. I had no clue where the house was so I couldn't follow him. I grumbled and reluctantly rolled out of the bed. I trudged to my bag and grabbed my hairbrush then proceeded to get the tangles under control.

I tossed my brush back into my back then sank on the bed. I stared down at the floor with a look that would shame a corpse. Reno shouldn't have just left me all alone. I think too much when I'm alone and the silence is bound to drive me crazy.

I sighed, exasperated, and slowly meandered my way to the window. The liveliness of the town surprised me. Gongaga wasn't yet big enough for cars so, instead, they went from place to place on bikes. As I watched the townsfolk pass in front of my window the thought of going and exploring the town appealed to me. I stood gazing out the window for many long, quiet moments before I gathered clothes for the day and got in the shower.

After I got out, I put all my dirty clothes back in my bag and almost didn't see the note sitting on top. I picked it up and sat down on the bed. It was from Reno.

_Tifa,_

_I'm probably going to be gone all day observing Cloud and Aeris. Don't worry, I won't get my ass in the same spot I did last time I eavesdropped. I left some gil for you on the table. Go out and do a little shopping and try to relax. You deserve it. Think about where you want to go for dinner. I'll be back later._

_Love,  
Reno_

I folded the note up and put it back in my bag. He must have come back when I was in the shower. I stopped next to the table where he left the gil and when I picked it up to count it my mouth dropped open. He had left me almost 700 gil. I stared at it for a while before shoving it in my back pocket and grabbing my phone off the charger. I quickly dialed his number and walked over to the window as it rang.

Reno picked up at the end of the second ring. "What?" He answered, his voice hushed.

"Why did you leave me so much gil?" I asked, tapping my fingernail against the back of my phone.

"Oh, that." I heard some rustling then there was a long pause. "Didn't I tell you in the note?"

"Yeah, but you didn't have to leave me so much."

"Well, my last check was pretty fat. Seven hundred isn't even half."

I rolled my eyes. "I just hope I don't get mugged because of all the cash I'm carrying."

He nickered slightly. "You getting mugged wasn't even on my mind when I put that money on the table. You're a big girl that can tie her shoes. I just feel sorry for the bastard that tries to steal something from you."

I laughed at his comment, he was right. "Well, I'll let you get back to…whatever you were doing. I'll see you tonight."

"Alright, babe, talk to you later."

I hung up and flung my phone onto the bed behind me then continued getting ready.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno slipped his phone back in his pocket and stepped out of the bush that he dove into when Tifa called.

Good thing that Aeris and Cloud left with Logan. He surely would have been caught if they were still at home. He had no clue where they went. They said nothing as they walked away from the house and for a moment he thought about following them. He dismissed the idea, of course, because he wanted to see if he could sneak into the house and look around.

He started to move away from the bush when he heard clomping footsteps racing toward him. Without even thinking he dove back into the bush and was rewarded with a mouthful of leaves. He froze and waited for the person to pass by and almost choked on a few of the bitter tasting leaves when he saw Cloud run up the driveway.

As soon as Cloud entered the house he disgustedly spat out the leaves and crouched lower to wait for Cloud to reemerge. Moments later, Cloud ran back out and took off down the street. Reno waited until he was a considerable distance away before jumping up and following him. As he was running after Cloud a thought occurred to him that almost made him come to a skidding halt.

Tifa was going to be in town; Cloud and Aeris were in town.

"Shit," he mumbled, pumping his legs even harder. He'd figure out where Cloud was going first before calling Tifa to tell her not to go anywhere.

They reached the shopping plaza and he watched Cloud run into a clothing store from the shade of a restaurant awning. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Tifa's number, making sure to keep a sharp eye on that clothing store just in case they walked out.

Tifa picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Reno."

"Hey, babe," he replied, moving to a place so he could see better. "Please tell me you haven't left the hotel yet."

"No, I was just getting ready to. Why?"

"Cloud and Aeris are in town. I think they're shopping for Logan. I want you to stay in the room until I call you back." Tifa started to say something to object but Reno stopped her. "Please, Tifa, just do it. I don't want them to find out we're here. If they do they'll book it. They have Logan with them. If he sees you he's gonna try to get to you."

There was silence on the other end. "Okay," she finally mumbled. "I'll stay here." Her voice was low and Reno knew that she didn't want to stay at the hotel at all.

"Hey, cheer up a little bit. I'll take you out tonight so you can relax, okay?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice still as gloomy as before.

"I'll call you back when it's safe for you to leave the room okay?"

"Okay," she mumbled. "I'll talk to you later."

Reno bit his lip. "I love you," he said, hoping that would cheer her up a little.

"I love you too," she said, a small smile in her voice.

Reno hung up and slid his phone back in his pocket before walking inside the restaurant and getting a table with an overly decent view of the clothing store. He told the waitress he only wanted coffee before sitting back and waiting.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

After I got off the phone with Reno, I sank onto the bed with a sullen look on my face. I wished I could be with him, but I knew in my mind and my heart that staying here in the room was best for now.

I sighed and slapped my hands on my knees before rising from the bed. I knew that if I stayed in the room I was liable to die of boredom. So I decided to venture down to the front desk and ask about the town's restaurants.

I stopped in front of the desk and a young man looking to be nineteen or twenty looked at me expectantly. "Can I help you miss?"

I nodded and placed my hands on the counter top. "Yeah, uh, do you have a listing of all the restaurants here in town?" I asked, not really sure if I was asking the right thing.

The young man reached under the desk and produced a pamphlet then handed it to me. He spoke up as I began to read the description of a Wutain restaurant. "If I could offer a suggestion?" He asked, his eyebrows raised inquisitively.

"Sure, go ahead," I replied, still looking at the pamphlet.

"The restaurants here in town are extremely overpriced," he began. "If you'd like, room service could bring you your dinner."

I was silent for a few seconds. "Why are the restaurants overpriced?" I asked, placing the pamphlet down on the counter top.

"They bring in most of the town's money. Trading with Wutai, Cosmo Canyon and Corel only bring in half as much as the restaurants do."

I nodded. "Tell me more about room service," I said, laying my arms down on the counter and leaning against it. "Is there a menu of some sort?"

"Yes," the young man said, reaching under the counter. "We try to keep things at a reasonable price here." He handed me a folded paper menu.

I opened it and looked around at the stuff they offered. "Wow," I said, one aspect of the menu catching my attention. "You guys provide tables?" I looked up at the man with an unsure look in my eyes.

He nodded. "Indeed we do. It's only a normal sized two-person table. Nothing flashy. You can also ask for a table cloth, candles and a few other things."

I bobbed my head up and down in approval as I stared back down at the menu. "You know what?" I said, raising one hand to my face and scratching my cheek. "I'm gonna take this back to the room with me, is that okay?"

"Of course."

"My boyfriend's out right now so when he gets back I'll talk with him about it."

"Alright," he said, smiling as I walked away.

I had left my phone on the bed in the room and when I walked back in the room my phone had just finished ringing.

"Dammit," I said, picking it up to see who called. It was Reno. I quickly dialed his number back.

He picked up immediately. "Hey, why didn't you answer?"

"I went down to the front desk really quick," I said, plopping down on the bed. "What's up?"

"Well, I'm stationed back in the damn flora outside the house Cloud and Aeris bought. They bought a whole bunch of new clothes for Logan. I'm pretty sure they don't intend to give him up anytime soon. But, I'm getting tired of sitting here like the house is gonna start doing tricks. I'm gonna start heading back pretty soon. Have you thought about where you wanna eat?"

"Yes actually, I have. When you get back to the room we'll talk about it."

"Okay," he said. "See you in a few, beautiful."

"Bye."

I hung up and rolled over onto my back before reaching over to the nightstand and grabbing the TV controller. I lazily flipped through the channels and finally stopped on a reality TV show about these people that were stuck in an underground base and they had to decide which one of them got the money. I wasn't very interested in it but all the drama that went on made me laugh.

After about twenty minutes, Reno trudged back into the room. He crawled onto the bed next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Mmm, this is comfy. Can I fall asleep right here?"

"No," I said, cuddling into his chest. "We still have to eat remember?"

"Oh, damn," he said, raising a hand to rub his eyes. "Where did you wanna go?"

"The guy down at the front desk said that paying for room service would be a lot cheaper then going out."

"Really?" He said, skeptically. "Usually it's the other way around."

"Well," I said, leaning over and grabbing the menu. "He gave me a room service menu and it doesn't look half bad."

Reno plucked it from my hands and looked it over. "So, you don't want to go out?"

I thought for a few seconds. "I think having dinner here would be much more romantic than going out."

He cocked an eyebrow at my statement. "You think so huh?"

Reno and I decided to have dinner in our room. "But I'll only agree with it if you do something for me," he said with a mischievous smile.

"What is it?" I asked, almost afraid to find out.

"Hold that thought," he said, dashing for the door. "I'll be right back."

I rolled my eyes as I sat down on the bed. A few seconds later, Reno slinked back in the door with a very large grin on his face, almost like he had just gotten away with something. He closed the door behind him and I could tell he was holding something behind his back.

I frowned. "What do you have?" I asked, getting up and trying to grab what he was concealing.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said, quickly moving away. "Before you get to see it you have to agree to wear it."

"Are you kidding me?" I asked, shocked that he had bought me something to wear while we ate. This wasn't looking good at all.

He shook his head, sending his fiery red locks to fly about his head. "No, I am not kidding you. I was saving this for after dinner but we're eating here. So, come on, please promise me you'll wear what I bought," he said, a small pout in his voice like he'd start balling if I didn't agree to wear it.

I crossed my arms and looked at him skeptically. "Can I at least see it first?"

He shook his head again. "Nope, you can't until you tell me you'll wear it."

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. I knew that once I agreed with Reno I was going to loathe wearing whatever he had for me. I sighed again before holding my hand out to receive what he had for me. "Fine, I'll do it."

Reno beamed as he produced a black bag from behind his back. I looked inside it and just about had a heart attack at what he had bought. "Reno!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay, I know all you people are gonna wanna kill me right now but I promise I'll have the next one up very soon. Just give me a little time to write a very juicy Lemon! You won't be disappointed! Trust me!


	24. Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off

**Disclaimer:**

No, I still don't own it and I never ever will...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, the chapter you've all been waiting for! I put a lot of careful thought into this and made it as juicy as possible. I hope I did good. It's only the second one I've written so when you're finished please be gentle. But I'll stop rambling now because I know all of you want to get to that lemon. Hope you guys like it!

* * *

I set the bag on the bed and slowly started to produce the contents. First, he got a black and red lace thong that you could practically see through that had bright red, glittery fuzz on the outside edge. Then I pulled out a pair of denim booty shorts that were so small it looked like I didn't have chance in hell of getting my ass to fit into them and a small, dark green half shirt, that looked way to small for my large breasts, that tied in the front. I looked back at him with a look that would make Vincent jealous. "You've got to be kidding me."

He chuckled slightly. "You already agreed to wear them and you can't wear a bra with the top."

My jaw dropped as I looked back down at the green half-shirt. "Are you joking? I'm gonna be practically falling out of it!"

Reno snickered and bounced his eyebrows. "I know."

"You little bastard," I said, whacking him. "Well, I can't change into these clothes right now. Why don't we order our food then when it gets here I'll go change."

"As long as you wear it," Reno said, grabbing the menu from off the bed.

Reno and I decided on pasta and a large salad to share. We also got some wine and a bottle of tequila. It was all Reno's idea, mind you. I wasn't very anxious to be drinking with Reno, but the prospect of actually seeing him drunk piqued my curiosity.

Once room service delivered our food, they set everything up and Reno paid them. After they left, Reno grabbed the "Do Not Disturb" sign and put it on the outside doorknob then looked at me with his arms akimbo. I sighed and grabbed the clothes he bought for me then made my way into the bathroom.

I stripped off my clothes and put the green top on first. Because of the size of my breasts, I barely had enough cloth to tie the shirt shut and once I got it tied my breasts were so tightly squeezed together that I thought if they were jostled the slightest bit they might pop right out of the shirt. The thong he got me was adorable, even though you could see right through it. The booty shorts on the other hand… I was surprised I could even squeeze into them. After I successfully got them on, I looked at myself in the mirror and expected what I looked like. My ass hung out of the bottoms and I was a little afraid of splitting them down the center. I sighed and tried to pull the ends down a little farther, but to no avail.

I untied my hair from the ponytail I put it in after I got out of the shower that afternoon. I ran my brush through my hair quickly before shutting the bathroom light off and opening the door just enough to stick my head out.

What I saw shocked me so much I almost had to pick my jaw and tongue up off of the floor.

Reno had changed out of his normal Turk attire and was now wearing loose, black slacks and a long sleeved black silk shirt that was half way unbuttoned. The hair tie he normally had holding his long hair back had been discarded and his hair hung freely about his shoulders. If my eyes weren't glued into my skull they would have been rolling around on the floor.

"Well, come on," Reno said, coaxing me forward with his hand. "Let's see what you look like. You've already gotten to ogle at me. My turn."

I rolled my eyes before slowly stepping out of the bathroom. One side of Reno's mouth turned up into a satisfied smirk as his eyes feasted on my body. I stood in front of him. "You like?" I asked, having a feeling I didn't even need to ask.

"Oh, yes," he said, lightly placing his hands on my hips. "Very much." He paused and took a nice long glance at my chest before speaking again. "All of a sudden, I've lost my appetite."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Well, I haven't. I'm eating whether you are or not." I broke away from Reno's grasp and sat down at our little table. I turned to look at him. "Are you going to join me? Or am I going to have to eat this all by myself?"

He stuffed his hands into his pockets then grabbed the wine and tequila before he walked over to the light switch near the door and flicked it off. He turned one lamp in the back corner on then lit the candelabra stationed in the middle of the table. Once he sat down he poured wine into our glasses.

We ate in silence for a while. We both had two glasses of wine and a shot of tequila each. I caught Reno in the act of staring intently at my chest at least a dozen times.

"Enjoying staring at my boobs?" I asked, as I finished the last of my salad.

He was silent for a few minutes before leaning back in his chair. "Yes, actually I am, but I think they'd look a lot better without the shirt."

I laughed at his bluntness.

"You know," Reno said, filling the shot glasses again. "This tequila is magic."

I frowned at him as he handed me mine. "How?" I asked, throwing my head back and downing all of the liquid.

Reno smirked before taking his. "It makes your clothes fall off."

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as Reno filled the shot glasses again. "I should have known that was coming."

"So, babe, how much you wanna bet I can get you drunk before I get shit faced?"

"I can hold my liquor a little better than most people think," I said as he filled the shot glasses again.

Reno snickered. "Well, that's good. Let the games begin."

We went through half the bottle of tequila in less than five minutes. By the time we were on our sixth shot I was just about ready to fall out of my chair. I couldn't keep my eyes focused worth shit and I could tell Reno was getting there.

I waved my hand in the air when he went to refill my shot glass. "Oh no, I've had quite enough thank you."

"Yeah," Reno said as he put the bottle to his lips. "So have I." He took a gigantic slug. "I win."

I grabbed my empty wine glass and made my way to the bathroom. Reno followed. I filled my glass to the brim with water and took a couple large gulps. I burped then blinked my eyes rapidly. The water wasn't doing anything with trying to help sober me up. I set the glass down on the sink and turned around. Reno was propped up against the door jam like he would fall over if the wood wasn't there to support him.

I fell against him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Has anyone told you have beautiful eyes?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he said, a silly grin plastered on his lips.

He gripped my sides and slowly guided me out of the bathroom. We stared into each other's glazed eyes before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. In a split second our hands were all over each other as we slowly made our way to the bed. As we got closer and closer to the bed I started to feel a little…I don't know…guilty, maybe. In the back of my head the worry over if Logan was going to be okay or not almost made me pull away from Reno's embrace…almost. If I would have sober I probably would have stopped him.

Reno turned around and began to push me towards the bed. But then, almost like I was never drunk to begin with, I gripped his shoulders and pushed him away from me. He gave me a strange look.

"Reno," I started, taking a deep breath. "Is this right?"

He moved closer to me and began to gently suck on my neck. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean," I said, pushing him out to arms length. "Should we really be fooling around like this when Logan is out there scared and confused?"

Reno's body went lax before he brought his hands up to his face. "Tifa, I am very positive that Logan is in no danger at all. I'm serious. Cloud and Aeris took him shopping and bought him new clothes just like they were his parents. Besides, I don't think that Cloud would torture his own flesh and blood. I don't think he's that stupid."

"Reno, I just don't think it's right."

"Tifa, I'm doing this because I wan you to relax. We're only two people, we can't do everything and we certainly can't break into that house guns blazing. Worry won't get things done."

I looked away from him. He was right; worrying would only make things worse for me. And he was also right about me needing to relax.

Reno walked away and grabbed the bottle of tequila, taking a very large pull from it. He turned and handed me the bottle. I stared at it for a few seconds before grabbing the bottle and gulping some down. My vision swam briefly but I managed to place the bottle back on the table before Reno and I were all over each other once again.

He lightly placed his hand on my waist again and slowly guided me toward the bed for round two. This time I gripped the silky fabric of his shirt and pulled him along with me. The backs of my knees hit the bed and for a second I wondered how exactly we were going to get on it with our faces still plastered together. Reno moved his hands slowly down my hips and wrapped them around until they rested right beneath my butt. He gripped my backs of my thighs and lifted me up, tossing me backwards onto the bed.

He crawled up to me and hovered over me for a few seconds. He looked down at my chest before taking his hand and gently gliding the pads of his fingers down the crease of my breasts. He occupied my lips once more as he trailed his fingers down to the tie on the bottom of the shirt. He made quick work of it and soon he was caressing my nipples with his thumb. He slowly moved down my neck, trailing kisses down my collarbone before putting his mouth on one of my breasts. He massaged my nipple gently, moving in slow circular motions. He moved down my body a little farther and trailed kisses along my ribcage and around my belly button.

I slowly slid my legs apart in anticipation of feeling his hot tongue against my skin, but he began to move back up my body trailing kisses back up until he reached my mouth. He glided his tongue across the roof of my mouth as his right hand moved slowly down my stomach. I spread my legs even farther apart, my womanhood dripping with ecstasy. My heart started to beat faster as his hand sunk into the depths of my shorts.

I moaned slightly as his fingertips touched the highly sensitive bundle of nerves around the opening of my vagina. He slowly traced the outline of my clit before he plunged his middle finger inside me. I bent my knees slightly and spread my legs even more to give him a little more access. I moaned as he swiveled his middle finger around inside me. Hearing my approval, he slid his index finger in as well. I arched my back and moaned once more into his mouth as a sign that I highly enjoyed the pleasure he was giving me. After many, many long moments of feeling his long fingers move around erotically inside me he pulled them out and began to strip my shorts off.

I scooted up so I was propped up against the backboard as he kneeled down between my spread legs. He gently pushed the fabric of my thong aside then ever so softly andbegan to lick and suckle my wet, sticky flesh. His tongue felt hot against me and I groaned in ecstasy when he thrust his tongue inside my wet heat. My fingers and toes clenched the bedspread and I began to move my hips in time with his tongue thrusts. When I started to feel myself orgasm I tried to hold it off as long as I possible. He felt my walls tighten around his tongue so he began to move faster and I let out a pleased moan as I came into his mouth. He swiftly lapped up my juices, making sure not one drop fell onto the bedspread.

He gave my clit one last, lingering lick before he began to move back up my body. As I quivered beneath him, he lightly began to lick my nipples and caress the soft, pillowy flesh of my breasts.

"My turn," I whispered seductively.

Reno nodded with his mouth still around my erect nipple. After a few moments he moved away and leaned against the backboard. I slid my sticky thong off and tossed it to the side before moving towards Reno and undressing him. I blushed slightly at his enormous erection before gently placing my hands around his throbbing member and moving them up and down. Reno groaned with pleasure.

After stroking him for a few minutes, I softly placed my mouth over the head of his penis and twirled my tongue around it causing him to groan once again. I took a deep breath before pushing his manhood inside my mouth. He moaned and wove his fingers into my hair, pressing my mouth down even harder on him. I used my tongue to stimulate the thousands upon thousands of sensitive nerve endings and gently grazed my teeth along his shaft to make him even more aroused. I slowly slid my mouth off of his penis and leaned down, softly licking the crease in his boys. He sighed and gripped my hair even tighter to the point where I thought he would pull it out. I took his twins into my mouth as I wrapped my right hand around his erection and slowly moved up and down.

Before long, I wanted very badly for him to be inside of me. I gave his nuts one last suck before moving to hover over him. I decided to leave him in anticipation and only go as far as pushing the head of his penis into my throbbing vagina. He moaned deep in his chest, begging me to go down all the way. After moving around on top of him a little, I slowly let him penetrate me as a satisfied moan escaped from my lips. I felt so full I thought I would orgasm right on the spot. I leaned forward and gripped his shoulders before starting to thrust slowly. Reno leaned his head back and closed his eyes and began to move his hips in time with mine.

When I started to feel myself go over the edge, I abruptly stopped my movements. "Why'd you stop?" Reno asked, panting roughly.

"I want you to finish on top."

I pulled out of him and lay beneath him. We stared into each other's eyes for what seemed an eternity before I spread my legs and allowed him to slide into me.

He moved slowly, savoring the feeling of our bodies rubbing together. After a while, though, his movements began to pick up and I felt myself start to climax. Reno and I looked into each other's eyes as our faces twisted with pleasure. Reno and I let out cries of passion as he dumped his first load inside of me. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as another wave of pleasure hit him and he released his last flow of semen into my cavity.

After he finished neither of us made a move. We continued to stare into each other's eyes for what seemed like the whole night. Ten seconds or ten minutes could have passed by before Reno pulled out of me and collapsed onto the bed next to me. He placed his hand on the side of my face and kissed me passionately.

"I love you," he whispered. "I will always love you."

"I love you too."

We pulled the sheets back and wrapped our arms around each other. I smiled as I fell asleep against his warm chest, content for the first time in two years.


	25. Running Again

**Disclaimer:**

Nope...still don't own the rights...if I did...I wouldn't be sitting here writing this. I'd be sitting on a beach in the Bahamas drinking a Pina Colada...

**Author's Note:**

Geez...sorry for the slow updates...but here's the next chapter. I'm glad to hear that all of you enjoyed the last chapter. I'm probably gonna end up throwing in little 'quickies' here and there for them just so they can release tension. And as a matter of fact I added a little hanky panky at the end of this extremely long chapter...but I didn't add the detail I did in last chapter...I'm gonna give it a few chapters before I do that again okie day?

Well, on with this chapter...I added a little more about Logan and stuff like that...I'll be getting into what's up with Aeris in a few more chapters... Ciao...

* * *

"I wanna wear the blue one!" Logan wailed as he stood in front of his father wearing only his tennis shoes and shorts.

"But don't you like the red one?" Cloud asked, holding it out to him.

Logan grabbed the shirt then threw it to the side. "No!" He screamed. "I want the blue one! I want it! I want it! I want it!" He started jumping up and down while screaming the last three phrases.

"Okay, okay, just don't scream anymore," Cloud said, finally giving in and retrieving the blue shirt that Logan was asking for and it handed it to him.

Logan's mood immediately brightened as he pushed the shirt over his head. He then scampered over to the mirror and ran his hands though his hair before running back to Cloud. "I'm ready."

Cloud looked at his young son's frazzled mane then leaned over and picked him up. "Did you mommy ever spike you hair?"

Logan shook his head. "She always let me do my hair."

"Well, want me to spike it?" Logan nodded and Cloud made his way into the bathroom then sat Logan down on the counter. "Do you want you hair to look like mine?"

Logan nodded again and Cloud got to work making his son look just like him.

"There," Cloud said once he finished, picking Logan up and letting him look in the mirror. "All done."

Logan smiled as he looked up at Cloud. "I look just like you, daddy!"

"Yeah," Cloud said, tugging on one of the spikes. "You wanna go play in the park?"

"Uh-huh."

Aeris was taking a nap so Cloud left a note on the table for her. Cloud had seen the park from the window of the clothing store they were in the other day. From what he could see, there was a large sandbox, swings, slides with monkey bars and jungle gyms. There were benches all around the perimeter of the park so the parents could watch their children at a safe distance. Cloud set Logan down and went to sit at the closest bench. A young woman that was feeding a small baby looked over at him and smiled as he sat. Cloud smiled back.

"Your little boy's very handsome. He looks just like you."

"Thanks," Cloud said, looking over at her. "I thought he'd look more like his mother than anything."

"Oh," she said, giving her baby a spoonful of baby food. "Where is she?"

Cloud looked away for a second before saying the first thing that came into his mind; which wasn't the truth. "She's at home. She wasn't feeling very good this morning but told me to bring Logan to the park. We promised we'd bring him to the park together today but she still wanted him to come play even though she couldn't come." Cloud pulled his walled out of his back pocket and dug out the only picture he had of Tifa. "This is her. Her name's Tifa."

He had taken the picture when they were at the Gold Saucer for a day of relaxation. Him and Tifa had snuck out of their rooms in the middle of the night and she had brought a disposable camera with her. She had given him the camera so she could play the snowboard game and she flashed a smile for the camera after she had won.

"She's very pretty," the woman said, handing the picture back to Cloud. "My name's Vera."

"Cloud Strife." He stuck his hand out to shake hers.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she withdrew her hand and she cocked her head. "The same one that -?"

"Killed Sephiroth and destroyed Meteor? Yeah, that's me."

"And the girl in the picture?" Vera questioned, an inquisitive look in her eyes.

"Tifa Lockheart. She was there too."

"Wow, that is amazing!" She said, her voice excited. "I never thought I'd get the chance to meet any of you!"

"I get that from a lot of people," Cloud said, scratching his head, hoping that this wouldn't turn into an insane fan girl session.

"Well," Vera said, lifting her baby out of his stroller. "I hope all of you have settled down. I'd just like to say thank you for all you've done."

"Hey, it was no problem."

Logan ran up to Cloud and climbed onto his lap. "Daddy, I think I'm in trouble."

Cloud frowned, a bad feeling beginning to brew in the pit of his stomach. "What do you mean?"

"A lady came up to me and looked at me then said, 'You're the boy I saw on TV.' Then she tried to grab me but I ran over here."

Cloud looked away from Logan with wide eyes. His heart began pumping when he saw an elderly lady talking with two burly police officers. "Come on, Logan. We gotta go." Cloud hefted Logan up into his arms and sprinted as fast as he could back to the house. He chanced a glance behind him and breathed a sigh of relief for no one was following him.

He crashed back through the door, startling Aeris, who was still asleep. "What's going on?" She asked groggily as she sat up.

"They're onto us!" Cloud said, breathing heavily as he set Logan on the floor.

"What do you mean?" Aeris retorted, getting up and walking toward Cloud. "Who's onto us?"

"Not Tifa and Reno." Cloud sat to try and catch his breath. "The police. I guess Logan's kidnapping must have gotten out."

"Shit," Aeris cursed as she ran into their bedroom. "Cloud, start getting Logan's things together!"

They had everything that was important packed up and ready to go within a half hour. They left the house immediately and bought two chocobos.

"Where are we gonna go?" Cloud asked, hopping up on his bird and securing Logan in his lap.

Aeris spurred her chocobo forward with Cloud following close behind. "We'll go to a remote place that no one will think to look."

"Where's that?"

"Wutai."

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

"Hey, Tifa, come look at this," Reno said, from his place on the bed.

"What is it?" I asked, walking out of the bathroom with make-up in hand.

My eyes got wide as a picture of Logan and I appeared on the screen. A male reporter's face came up a few seconds later. "Two year old Logan James Lockheart, who was kidnapped by his father, Cloud Strife, a few days ago was supposedly seen earlier this morning. Police have been searching but so far nothing has been found."

"Dammit!" Reno yelled, throwing the controller onto the bed and running out of the room.

I dropped my make-up in mid-application and took off after him. I struggled running after him with my flimsy flip-flops and I was tempted to take them off so I could run better, but the thought of burning my feet on the hot asphalt wasn't very appealing.

Reno came to a skidding halt next to some large bushes. I kneeled down next to him. "Stay here," he said, looking back at me briefly.

I nodded and watched him slink toward the silent house on the corner of the block. The door was slightly ajar and when he reached it he cautiously pushed it open then slipped inside. I peeked my head over the bush and nervously watched the empty opening that Reno disappeared through. I held my breath, hoping nothing would happen to him. Many long minutes passed when he finally appeared in the doorway. He had a strange look on his face as he leaned heavily against the frame of the door.

My heart was literally in my throat as I ran toward Reno and fell into his arms. "Reno, what is it?" I asked, fearing the worst.

He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply. "They're not here."

I felt relief wash over me at hearing Logan wasn't hurt but all at the same time tears were rolling down my face. We were so close.

Reno began to gently rub my back to try and reassure me. He was silent for many long moments before he spoke. "Hey, we'll get him back. Don't worry." Reno's voice began to crack as he finished. I could tell he was trying to hold himself together.

I wiped my eyes and looked up at him. "What are we going to do now? We have no idea where they are now."

"I don't know."

Everything was spinning. I could barely focus my eyes on Reno's face. My stomach started to churn and I almost felt like bending over and hurling my guts onto the grass. I started to cry even harder and soon after my head felt like it would burst. I guess I must have almost fallen over because Reno gripped me tightly then picked me up. My head started to spin as he walked down the road and I quickly lost consciousness.

I woke up what felt like only a few minutes later. My head still hurt a little and as I tried to sit up a dizzy feeling made me stop. I looked over and found Reno staring out the window at a pale evening sky; I had slept much longer than I thought. I took a deep breath and slowly rose from the bed. I gently laid my hand upon Reno's shoulder. He twitched slightly and turned to look at me. "Well, you're finally awake," he said, smirking as he pulled me onto his lap. He kissed me on the forehead. "How you feelin'?"

"I'm still a little lightheaded. What about you?"

"I'm a little tired." He paused to yawn and stare out the window some more. I laid my head on his chest and gazed out the window with him. "Hey, uh, you know that one red lion thing we visited a few months ago?"

I lifted my head off of his chest and frowned. "You mean Red XIII?"

"Yeah, him. Do you think he'd be able to help us?"

"We could try," I said, shrugging my shoulders weakly.

I slid off Reno's lap as he stood. "You go ahead and go to Cosmo Canyon. I need to go back to Costa and pick up a few things."

"How are you gonna get there?"

"Rent a chocobo, of course." He picked up our bags and we walked out of the room. Reno paid the hotel bill then made our way to the chocobo stables. "I'll come to Cosmo as soon as I can, okay?"

"Yeah, be careful," I said, kissing him softly.

"Naturally, babe." He handed some gil to the chocobo handler then mounted the large bird. "You still have all that gil I gave you right?" I nodded. "Then spoil yourself with it. Try not to worry too much about Logan. We'll find him."

"I'll try." He leaned down and planted another farewell kiss on my lips.

"I love you," he said, swiping his fingers across my cheek.

"I love you too," I said, grabbing his fingers as he pulled them away from my face.

He smiled at me before spurring his chocobo toward Costa del Sol. I watched his retreating form until I could no longer see him among the foliage. I paid the handler for holding Seraph then made my way toward the fire colored cliffs of Cosmo Canyon.

Many hours later, I arrived at the great stone steps of the canyon. It had not changed since my last visit, which seemed odd because it seemed as though there were a lot more people since then. I made my way toward the observatory, hoping that Red would be there.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxox._

Cloud and Aeris halted their chocobos on the outskirts of Rocket Town. "How can we get an airship ride here? If Cid knows about the kidnapping and sees me he'll skin me alive."

"Cid won't see us," Aeris replied, waving her arm through the air gracefully.

White light flashed all around them and when it faded, their appearances, clothes and voices had changed from what had been.

"Now we can travel without being discovered. Come."

Aeris and Cloud trotted into town together and bought airship tickets to Wutai. Within the hour they were on their way; Cid had seen them board and never suspected a thing.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxox._

"When was Logan kidnapped?" Red inquired.

"Only a few days ago."

When I found Red and Nairi sleeping peacefully in the observatory I thought about waiting until they woke up to talk to them, but Red sensed my presence immediately. When he saw that Logan wasn't with me, he became worried and wanted to know where he was.

"Are you sure they left Gongaga?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. The house they were living in was empty.

Red nodded and padded over to the counter. He had been provided with a phone that met his species specific needs. It had large buttons and a microphone that he could speak into. It also had a video screen.

"I'll call everyone and tell them to be on the look out. You should go get some sleep." Red began to dial a number.

"Well, I'd really like to wait for Reno."

"Tifa, it is late and you look very tired. If Reno comes in I will tell him you are here."

I opened my mouth to object but Barret's voice blared out of the speaker. "Hey, what up, cat?"

Red rolled his eye. "Please, Barret, let's skip the small talk. I have some bad news."

I climbed the ladder leading to the guest bedroom and tuned out the voices below me. I set my beg next to the bed then gently eased under the cool sheets, falling into a deep, peaceful sleep moments later.

"Hey."

_No. More sleep. Go away…_

"Hey, bed head, wake up."

I groaned and rolled over, hoping the annoying voice would go away. After many moments of silence, I smiled and snuggled back into the sheets. Just as I was about to doze off once again, the blankets were torn away from me. I sat up groggily and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Finally, I thought I'd never get you up."

I smiled when I saws Reno standing at the foot of my bed with a goofy grin on his face, holding my blankets in his right hand.

I yawned. "When did you get here?"

"A few hours ago." He tossed my blankets onto the bed in heap. "Come on. Red has a plan."

I slowly got out of the bed and followed Reno down into the living room. I smiled when I saw Vincent Valentine standing at the counter, talking with Nanaki. He turned his red blood eyes on me and nodded his head. "Hello Tifa," he said, the talons of his gold claw clinking on the hard wood of the counter.

"Hi, Vincent." I left my greeting at that, knowing any other attempt at conversation would be with silence.

"So, Red tell us about this plan of yours," Reno began, crossing his arms.

"I have notified everyone in Avalanche to keep their eyes open for Cloud and Aeris or anything suspicious. I've asked Vincent here because of his magnificent tracking skills. He's going to go back to Gongaga and see if he can dig something up."

"What about me and Reno?" I asked, a confused look on my face. "What are we going to do?"

"Vincent would prefer to travel alone. Cid, Barret, Yuffie and Reeve are going to keep their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. I think you two should stay here for a while."

"But," I began, starting to panic slightly. "I just can't stand on the side lines while my son's fate is placed in someone else's hands! Red, what would you do if one of your cubs was kidnapped? Wouldn't you want to find him and make sure he's alright?"

He nodded. "Yes, I would, but if the best way to keep him safe was to sit on the side lines and watch then I would do it. Tifa, I know how you are feeling. You feel because you are Logan's mother that you should be the one to rescue him. Everyone in Avalanche wants to see Logan safely back with you. They will do everything in their power to ensure he is found. Do you trust me?" His lone yellow eye shone with promise.

I bit my lip and turned to look at Reno. "It's gonna be okay, babe," he said reassuringly.

I smiled and brought my eyes back to Red. "Okay," I said, feeling my eyes begin to tear up.

Red nodded, glad he had my approval. "Vincent you may leave whenever you are ready."

Vincent bowed his head then turned on his heel and left the Observatory.

I stood and stared at the door in a stupor. I had just put my son's life in the hands of Vincent Valentine. Yes, I trusted Vincent. I even trusted him with my life. He had come to the team's rescue many times with his unmatched marksman skills and the power of the demons inside him. I just couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that hung over my shoulders. It almost felt like I had made a dire mistake.

"Tifa," Red said, coming to sit next to me. "Come with me." Reno started to follow us but Red stopped him by swishing his fiery tail in front of him. "Stay here, Reno. Tifa and I will be back soon."

Reno met my eyes briefly before I turned and followed Red out of the Observatory. We walked through the dusty streets for man moments before Red turned to me.

"You know it is almost my cub's birthday right?" He asked simply, seeming to want no more than small talk. I nodded. "Then you must be aware that it is almost Logan's birthday as well."

I took a deep breath. "Yeah, I know. I was hoping to have a birthday party for hi. Now I'm not sure what's going to happen."

Red came around in front of me and sat down. He looked into my eyes sternly. "No matter how dark the night, morning always comes. Be strong, Tifa. Just like you told me all those years ago."

I stood shocked as I watched Red start to walk away. I never thought those words would come back and bit me in the butt like they just did. Red stopped and looked back at me.

"Come on, Tifa."

Once I was back at Red's side I kneeled down and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Thanks," I said, backing away. "I really needed that."

"Well, that's what friends are for, right?"

I smiled. "Yeah."

Red and I walked back to the Observatory side by side. Reno was waiting outside. I went to him and rested against his chest. Red began to walk inside to join his mate but stopped short. "Tifa, I'd like you to be the guest of honor at the cub's presentation ceremony."

"What is that?" I asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"It's basically their birthday party and you've helped Nairi and I so much with them they think of you and Logan as family. We would be honored if you would do this for us." Red swished his tail back and forth as he sat.

"Well, what should I wear?" I asked, awe struck that Red and Nairi thought so highly of me.

"Preferably Cosmo Canyon ceremonial garb. There is a hut near the Eternal Flame that sells such clothing. The shopkeeper will help you find what you need."

I nodded and Red went inside. "You wanna come?" I asked Reno.

"Sure, I'm game."

We ventured into town and found the shop that Red told us about. Inside there was a variety of headdresses and robes of all different styles and colors. There was also native jewelry made out of polished stone with beads and different ornaments. The shopkeeper greeted us. "Hello, my name is Marlo. How can I help you?"

"Uh, I'm going to be the guest of honor for Nanaki's cub's ceremony."

Marlo's eyes got wide. "Truly?" I nodded. "Then, please, come with me. I have the perfect thing for you to wear."

Reno hung back to look around as Marlo led me into a back room filled with even more extravagant clothing than the front room. He bean running around the room, pulling clothes and jewelry off of shelves and racks. After he thought he colleted enough he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind a large curtain.

"Now, uh, if you don't mind, I need you to undress," he said, holding up a piece of silky fabric that various colors of browns and reds.

I made a weird face before slowly complying. I wasn't very comfortable about undressing in front of someone I didn't even know when my boyfriend was standing right outside. But Cosmo Canyon attire is different than that of the rest of the world and so are its people. Cosmo Canyon natives are neither shy nor pig headed, from what I've heard from Nanaki.

Marlo began to wind the cloth around my waist. "Okay, hold this," he said, pushing the cloth into my hands. He produced a light tan tunic that look like it had gold laced into the fabric. It had a long left sleeve and no sleeve on the right side. He helped me slide the tunic over my head then he wound the rest of the fabric around my bare shoulder. "Do you know when the ceremony is?"

I shook my head. "No, I'll have to ask Nanaki."

"Alright, I will hold these for you until the day of the ceremony. I'll also add your jewelry and headdress," he said, beginning to undrape me.

"Okay," I said, putting my clothes back on. "Thank you."

He nodded and smiled at me before carefully slinking out from behind the curtain. I finished dressing then pushed the curtain back. Reno was waiting for me at the front o the store. He grabbed my hand and held the door open for me.

"Well, how'd it go?" He asked as we walked through the town back to the Observatory.

"He picked out some really pretty fabric for me to wear."

"Oh really?" He said, stopping for a few seconds. "I hope it's easy to take off of you." He placed his hands on my waist then slowly moved them up.

I quickly grabbed his hands and pulled them away from me. "Reno! No here!"

He bounced his eyebrows playfully. "Then how about we go somewhere else?" I grinned then turned around and began to walk away. "Hey! Is that a yes?"

I broke into a full on run and stared laughing so hard I could barely continue running when I heard his distressed 'Hey!' as he began to run after me. I waited at the front door of the Observatory until he caught up to me.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" He asked as he pressed me against the door and kissed me passionately.

"We have to be quiet," I said after he backed away. He reached his hand around me and pushed the door open.

"Are they always here?" He asked as we slowly backed up towards the ladder, planting kiss upon kiss on each other's lips.

"Yeah, Red has to be in case someone needs to see him." My back hit the ladder and I pried Reno off of me so I could climb up it.

Reno and I climbed under the sheets of the bed and continued our heavy make out session. Red turned me over onto my back and got on top of me. I reached up and started undoing the buttons of his shirt. "So," he began, giving me a quick kiss before continuing. "Did you enjoy what we did the other day?"

I nodded and smiled. "I did. You gave me an even more powerful orgasm than Cloud ever did."

His hands ducked beneath my shirt and made quick work of my bra. "Oh, so Spiky is a little inexperienced, huh?" He smirked as he cupped a hand around my breast and began to knead it gently.

I pushed his shirt off his shoulders and drew random patterns on his muscular chest with my nails. "Yeah, just a little. I heard you're supposed to bleed when you have sex the first time but, to me, it felt like I was on my period."

Reno's movements stopped and he is eyes got wide. "You have got to be shiting me." I shook my head. Reno snickered and rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else. "Alright, babe, this is coming off," he said, beginning to pull my shirt over my head.

I lifted my arms so it would be easier to remove. He tossed it to the side and continued his soft, gentle movements.

"Hey, Teef," he said, stopping momentarily.

"Yeah?" I asked, running my fingers through his hair.

"Can I ask you a kinda personal question?" He asked, as he started rubbing his hands over my boobs once again.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Are, uh, your…you know," he stuttered, not sure how he was going to ask the question that was drilling into him. "Are they…uh - "

"Are you trying to ask me if my boobs are real?"

Reno started stuttering and mumbling like sort of idiot that got caught with his pants down around his ankles. His cheeks flushed. "Well, yeah…uh, I was just wondering…"

I started to laugh, which only caused Reno's embarrassed state to grow worse. "Of course they are. I wouldn't have been able to breast feed Logan if they were fake."

Reno laughed nervously. "Sorry, I should have known."

I rolled my eyes. "A lot of people have asked me that actually. Don't worry about it."

Reno took a deep breath and rubbed his face. "Geez, hope I didn't spoil the mood."

"No," I said, pulling him down and pressing his mouth against mine.

Soon our bodies were once again tangled together. Our clothes had been tossed to the far corners of the room and 'being quiet' was soon forgotten as well. As I stared into Reno's eyes it just felt so right to be there with him, giving him my body and, in turn, receiving his as well. After our throws of passion subsided we lay next to each other serenely, falling asleep to the sound of our heavy breathing.


	26. Positive

**Disclaimer:**

No, I still don't own it...oh wait wait...nope still don't...

**Author's Note:**

Yay! Another chapter! Hope I didn't keep you guys waiting too long. Well, I don't have anything to say except please review once you are finished whether it be a flame, constructive critiscism or a good review. If everyone that read my story reviewed I'd have over 16,000 reviews so please please please review! They make me happy...

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It had almost been a month since we had heard anything from Vincent and, on top of it all, I had started to feel a bit strange. I didn't say anything to Reno. I wanted to make sure if I was right or not before I said anything to him. Besides, he wasn't even in Cosmo Canyon. He had gone to Junon to talk with Rude and Elena. He was getting fed up with sitting around waiting so he decided to see if Rude and Elena would be willing to help.

Which was good for me.

I made my way into town and ducked into a small general store. After searching the aisles for a few minutes I finally came upon the item I was looking for.

Pregnancy tests.

I paid for them then went back to the Observatory. I peeked my head inside the door and found Red sitting on the floor looking at the evening paper. He looked up at me when I walked inside and I immediately hid the box behind my back. He cocked his head and a funny look graced his animal features.

"Tifa, what's wrong?" He asked, getting up and padding towards me.

"Oh, uh, nothing," I said, trying to slide by him. "Nothing's wrong."

"Then what are you hiding behind your back?" He asked as he cocked his eyebrow.

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders then began to back up towards the ladder. "Uh, some…new…clothes?" I said, my excuse sounding extremely lame.

Red looked at me cynically. "Tifa, what is it?" He asked again, his voice taking on a fatherly tone.

I bit my bottom lip as I produced the box of pregnancy tests.

Red smiled at me with a knowing glance. "Oh," he said, his yellow eye sparkling somewhat. "Do you think you and Reno are expecting?"

"Well," I began, staring down at the box. "Maybe. It's been a month since the first time we had sex but I didn't want to say anything to him because I'm not sure myself."

Red grinned at me as he sat beside me. "Nairi and I were wondering what you two were doing when you came back from picking out your ceremonial clothes, which reminds me. The ceremony is going to be next weekend."

"What's the date?" I asked, pulling a test out of the box.

"The twelfth of February. The cub's birthday is actually on the fifteenth. We're going to be having a birthday party for them. I've invited everyone in Avalanche to come. When's Logan's birthday?"

"The twenty-fifth," I said, staring down at the strip of plastic in my hand. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here." Red went back to his paper as I climbed up the ladder.

I tested myself in the upstairs bathroom then set the test on the sink without looking at it. I backed up and began pacing. If the test told me I was pregnant, I'll wait a few more weeks and test myself again before telling Reno. These store bought tests were never really very accurate. Or I could go to a doctor here in town and ask if they could test me there.

I nodded. "Yeah, that's what I'll do. I'll see if it's positive or not then in a few more weeks I'll go to a doctor and see if it's right."

With that in mind, I stepped forward and picked up the strip of white plastic. I smiled when I saw that the test did indeed read positive, but the smile was wiped away when I remembered how happy I had been when I found out I was pregnant with Logan just to have that same happiness washed away when the man that supposedly 'loved' me walked out.

I suddenly became scared. What would Reno do if he found out I was pregnant? Would he leave me just like Cloud did? Or would he stay?

I tossed the used test into the garbage then stuffed the box into the cupboard. I went back downstairs and collapsed on the couch with a heavy sigh. Red jumped up onto the couch next to me and laid his head in my lap. I didn't say anything, which caused Red to speak up. "Well?"

"I'm pregnant," I said in a small voice. Red frowned and a strange look graced his animal features. "I'm scared, Red."

The confusion on his face grew worse for he was befuddled on how I could act this way. "Tifa, what do you mean? Shouldn't you be happy?"

"I am." I paused. "It's just that I don't want what happened between me and Cloud to happen with Reno and I."

"Tifa, you don't think he'll leave you, do you?"

"I don't know," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "That's what scares me."

Red sat up and placed a large paw on my hand. "Don't worry."

I smiled. "I'll try."

He nudged my cheek with his nose. "Well, you should cheer up a little. I don't think you'll be able to hide much from Reno with that look on your face."

I laughed slightly. "Yeah, you're right."

I got up and went back upstairs. I sat down on the bed and started talking to myself. "Okay, screw going to the doctor and making sure. It's been a month. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that test could be wrong. I'll tell him tonight. I'll just put the thought in my head that he'll stay and not run out like Cloud did."

With that I went back downstairs. "Hey, Red, is it okay if I use your phone?"

"Of course," he said, looking up from his paper to smile at me briefly. "Do you want me to explain how to use it?"

"Oh, no, it's okay. I think I can figure it out."

He nodded then got back to his paper.

I dialed Reno's cell phone number then waited while it rang. He picked up on the third ring. "Yeah?"

"Hey, baby," I said, a smile in my voice.

"Oh, hey," he said, his voice brightening a bit after discovering it was me. "How's it goin', babe?"

"Great. How are you?"

"I'd feel better if I was with you."

I smiled. "When are you going to be back?"

"In a couple hours actually. We stopped in Nibelheim to grab something to eat."

I frowned. "We?"

"Oh, yeah, Rude and Laney are taggin' along. They wanna talk to Nanaki and see if there's anything they can help with."

"That's great." I sat down on the bed.

"Yeah, Laney's excited about getting to spend some time with you. She doesn't have very many female friends these days."

"Oh," I said, frowning a little. Elena and I didn't know each other on a personal level, heck, we didn't know each other at all. We used to scream obscenities at each other while we were fighting, but times have changed and, to tell the truth, I was a little excited about getting to know her better. "Well, it'll be nice getting to know her."

"Yeah, I'm sure you two'll get along just fine. Well, gotta run. I'll see you in a few hours, babe. I love you."

"I love you too."

I pressed the 'off' button on Red's very high tech phone then leaned against the counter. Red folded up his paper as best as an animal with no opposable thumbs is able then turned to me. "So, Rude and Elena want to talk to me?"

"I guess. Do you think they'll be able to help?"

"I'm not sure. Depending on what they have in mind I may or may not be able to come up with something."

I occupied myself with meager things such as helping Red clean. For animals, they kept their home about as clean as I did my own. They just needed help with those hard to reach spots. "Red, how do you keep this place so clean?"

"Nairi and I actually have a lady come clean every now and then. It's convenient because we can't really clean ourselves."

"Oh," I said, dusting off a bookshelf that had managed to collect an absurd amount of dust.

I jumped when the door opened and quickly rushed over when I saw Reno stick his head through and smile. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and twirled me around then placed me back on the floor and planted a large kiss on my lips. "I missed you, babe," he said, kissing me again.

"I know. I missed you too."

"Come on, Reno!" An aggravated female voice said from the other side of the door. "Get out of the way!"

"Oh, sorry guys," he said, sheepishly stepping aside so Rude and Elena could enter.

Elena smiled at me and stopped in front of me. She stretched her hand out. I shook it, making her smile a little bigger. "I'm sorry," she said, still holding fast to my hand. "For everything."

"It's okay. I've forgiven Reno. I can forgive you and Rude too."

She smiled as Reno came up beside me. "Hey, babe, Rude and I wanna go to the bar and catch up. You and Laney gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, go spend some time with Rude. Just come back at a reasonable hour."

"Fair enough," he said, leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on my lips. "See you ladies later."

"Bye, Reno," Elena said, watching them as they left. Once they were out of sight Elena turned to me. "Wow, what did you do to Reno?"

I frowned, a little baffled by her question. "What do you mean?"

"What did you do? The whole time we were in Junon all he talked about was you and seeing you again. When we stopped in Nibelheim to get something to eat he just about threw a fit at me and Rude. I'm surprised that he even wants to go out and hang out with Rude."

"It's actually a good thing he isn't here right now."

A confused look appeared on Elena's face. "Huh?"

I bit my bottom lip then grabbed her arm. "Let's go upstairs." She followed me up the ladder and sat down next to me on the couch in the upstairs bedroom. I was silent for a few minutes before I looked her in the eye. "You know Reno and I are dating right?"

Elena laughed. "Well, yeah! It's only so obvious!"

"Well, uh…I'm pregnant…with Reno's child."

Elena looked at me dumbfounded until the realization of what I told her sank in. "Are you serious!" She screeched.

I shrank back at the ferocity of her voice. "I'm about a month along," I said, my voice low.

"Oh my God, Tifa, Reno is going to be stoked!" The look on my face must have been pretty funny because Elena started laughing. "I'm serious! Reno is definitely serious about this relationship. When him and Rude come back you seriously need to tell him! Take it from me, he would not leave you over something like this."

I smiled, grateful for Elena's council. She made me feel that much better about telling him later. "Thanks, Elena."

For the next couple hours, Elena and I sat in the upstairs bedroom and just talked, sharing information with each other. I enjoyed it. I got to see a side of Elena that I never thought I'd see. She really is a very caring girl and how she ending up being a Turk was beyond me. When I heard the door open down stairs and Reno's voice call my name my heart started to beat faster.

Elena gave me a knowing look. "Stay here. I'll get Reno for you."

Elena descended the ladder and moments later Reno appeared and plopped down on the sofa next to me. He leaned over and planted a long, passionate kiss on my lips before backing away. "I missed you."

I smiled and leaned into him. "I missed you too."

"Hey, uh, Laney said you had something important to tell me," he said, rubbing my back.

I nodded as I inhaled his cologne-laden shirt. "Yeah, something really important."

Reno's brow furrowed slightly. He pulled me towards him and made me sit in his lap. "What is it, babe?"

I took a deep breath. "Reno, I'm pregnant."

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**Author's Note:**

Ahhhhhh! Cliffy! Sorry guys I just had to...hope you liked the chapter and please review...that button is very lonely...


	27. Good News?

**Disclaimer:**

Nope, still do not own it...

**Author's Note:**

Wow, two chapters in one week...simply glorious... Well, the chapter you've all been waiting for. I won't keep you waiting. Just remember to leave a review when you're done. I want to know if I did good. Peace out...

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Reno sat there and stared at me for so long I thought time had somehow mysteriously stopped. His teal eyes looked slightly glazed over but I wasn't surprised because him and Rude had been drinking. I could clearly see my reflection on the surface of his shining irises. I immediately hated the look on my face. I looked so pathetic, sitting there waiting forhis reaction to my pregnancy.

Reno looked away from me and his eyes began nervously darting around the room like they were chasing a fly. A realization hit me as I stared into the endless pools of glowing mako that zipped randomly around the room. His reaction could be one of pure shock. Before I started telling myself he was going to leave me, I needed to give him time to get over the initial shock factor.

Reno even told me that all the relationships he's held thus far have been one night stands, if that. He's never been a father before, but I'm sure there have been women that have told him they were pregnant with his child. And no doubt after they told him they immediately went and got said child aborted.

After many long minutes of just staring at him as he thought things over, I hesitantly raised my hand and laid it tentatively on his cheek. He looked at me with wide eyes like he was a deer caught in the bright stream of a car's headlights. This teal orbs held a far away look and I felt like his gaze was going right through me.

"Reno."

Just saying his name was enough to bring him back to Earth. He gently pushed my legs off of him and got up then began to pace around the room with his hands on top his head like he was out of breath. I watched him pace the room patiently. Suddenly he stopped and quickly looked at me before he turned to go down the ladder.

"Rude! Elena!" He shouted, jumping down the ladder well instead of climbing.

I sat stunned for a few seconds. I didn't think he'd jump down the ladder well, screaming his friend's names.

"Rude! Elena! Guess what!" He announced, ecstatic. "I'm gonna be a dad! Isn't that great!"

I got up and climbed down the ladder. Reno had picked Elena up and was twirling her around, much to her dismay. Rude was sitting on the couch with a smirk on his usually emotionless face. He was still sporting his favorite pair of sunglasses. After putting Elena down, Reno rushed over to Rude and pulled him up from his place on the couch. He squeezed Rude to his chest.

"Careful of the glasses," Rude stressed, fixing them as soon as Reno had relinquished his grip on him.

When Reno saw me he rushed towards me and placed his hands firmly on my hips and lifted me into the air. I gripped his shoulders to ensure I didn't fall. He twirled around once before setting me back on the floor then pulled me towards him and kissed me passionately. Elena made a snide comment as we kissed which made Reno pull away from me and flip Elena the bird. I gaped at Reno's hand before reaching up and pulling it down and placing it back at his side.

"What?" He asked incredulously, like he hadn't done anything wrong.

I only rolled my eyes and laid my head on his chest. "So, I take it you're happy?" I asked, keeping my face against his shirt.

"Of course I am," he said, running his fingers through my hair. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before."

I lifted my head and dared myself to ask the one question that was searing a hole in my brain. "So, you won't…?"

Reno immediately caught what I was going to say and quickly raised his hand and placed it over my mouth. His voice took on a very serious tone. "Don't you _ever_ think those thoughts again. I will never leave you, Tifa. I love you."

I nodded as tears began cloud my vision. "I love you too."

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

"Gawd!" Yuffie wailed from her place on the couch. "This is hopeless!"

Vincent stood next to the couch with his hands folded neatly under his cape. He had a sort of bored stare in his red eyes. His search of Gongaga had been fruitless, except for one thing. He had talked with the chocobo handler and asked about Cloud, Aeris and Logan and was surprised to discover that they had rented chocobos. When he asked the handler where they went all he did was shrug his shoulders and say he didn't 'have a clue.'

"Then can you tell me where those chocobos ended up?" Vincent asked, losing patience with the man very fast.

Every chocobo handler around the globe had to tag their chocobos to figure out where they were. That way, if a certain town had an over abundance of chocobos from another town, they could send them back. The handler handed Vincent his latest chocobo manifest.

"What were the names of the chocobos they rented?" Vincent asked, scanning his sharp eyes down the bleach white paper.

"Uh…" The handler mumbled, rubbing his hand against his sweaty forehead. "Scorch and Lulu."

Vincent smirked when his eyes landed on the two names. Those chocobos had ended up in Wutai.

"Are you sure they came here Vincent?" Yuffie asked, sitting up and staring him in the eye.

Vincent nodded. "Those chocobos have tags from Gongaga and they weren't checked in to any other town. They went straight to Wutai. They have to be here unless they've flown the coop already."

Yuffie rolled her eyes and rose from the couch with an exasperated sigh. "Well, then where the hell are they? I've personally met every single person that's come through Wutai's gates for the past month and a half! And never once did I see that doofus Cloud, Aeris or Logan!"

Vincent kept a stoic glance on Yuffie as she finished her tirade. "And none of them seemed the slightest bit suspicious?" He asked, with a hooked eyebrow.

"No, they haven – " Yuffie stopped as one incident came to mind. "Well, actually there was acouple that had a little boy that came in a few weeks after Red told me to keep an eye out. The girl seemed to check out but her boyfriend or husband or whoever the hell he was kept fidgeting and biting his fingernails and crossing and uncrossing his legs. It was like he was nervous or something. And the little boy acted like he knew me when he first saw me." A thoughtful look fell over Yuffie's face before she gasped and smacked herself in the forehead with her open palm. "Dammit, Vinny! I'm so stupid!"

Vincent frowned. "I wouldn't doubt it but why?"

Yuffie scowled at Vincent and defiantly stuck her tongue out at him before continuing. "Do you think Aeris has the power to change their appearances?"

Vincent shrugged. "I can't say. Maybe she does."

"Then that could have been them!" Yuffie threw her hands up in the air. "Ugh! And I call myself a ninja!" Vincent snickered softly enough so that Yuffie would not hear. He frowned when the skinny ninja sprinted from the room then returned with her favorite shuriken. "Okay, Vinny," she said, going over to the window and peering out of it. "The sun is setting right now. We need to go out and search the entire town. I remember what they look like so we need to find them." She gave him a brief description of what they looked like. "Let's go."

Vincent rolled his eyes and slowly pulled his gun from the holster on his right thigh. He preferred to work alone but he had to admit that having someone else helping him look would make the night go much faster. Him and Yuffie split, each going to separate ends of the town and agreeing to meet by the pot in front of the Turtle's Paradise pub.

He searched his end of town thoroughly, looking inside the windows of every house or building he came upon. When he finally got to the tan stone pot that was placed haphazardly next to the Turtle's Paradise Yuffie was nowhere to be seen. Vincent sighed and leaned up against the wall, crossing his arms. He wasn't waiting long until he looked over to the right, where he knew he heard soft footfalls.

"Yuffie, if you're trying to be stealthy you're not very good at it," Vincent said, taking much amusement when he saw Yuffie's head emerge from around the corner with a rather befuddled look on her face.

"God, Vinny, you hear everything," she mumbled, before rounding the corner completely. "Okay, I found the house." She pulled her PHS out of her pocket and dialed a number. She slinked into the shadows next to Vincent and waited while the phone rang.

"Yuffie, do you realize what time it is?" Nanaki's agitated and very fatigued voice sounded in her ear.

She was silent for a second. "No, what time is it?"

"Almost midnight."

"Gawd, we were searching that long? It didn't seem like it."

Red's voice immediately perked up. "Did you find anything?"

Yuffie took a deep breath. "I think so. Vincent showed up a few days ago and…well…it's a long story. I think that Aeris disguised herself, Cloud and Logan so I wouldn't recognize them. What should we do?"

Red was silent. He was slowly going over the options in his head. "Do you know how to bug a house, Yuffie?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. Bugging houses is my specialty."

"Do you have the equipment to do so?"

"Yes indeedy do!"

Vincent frowned. _Yes indeedy do?_

"Then I suggest you to do so. See if you can do it tonight."

"Will do!"

"Call back in the morning."

"Okay," Yuffie replied before closing her PHS.

Vincent arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Nanaki wants me to bug the house. Come on, we need to go back to my place and get the supplies."

"Maybe you should let me do it." Vincent slid the Death Penalty into its holster as he followed Yuffie back to her house.

"Sorry, Vinny," she replied, slinging her shuriken over her shoulder. "I wouldn't want you to get caught."

Vincent scoffed. "Me get caught? Ms. Kisaragi must I remind you how easily others can find out if you are sneaking up to them or not?"

"Shut up, Valentine," she mumbled as she swung her door open.

Yuffie wasn't going to worry about getting going full out so instead she just got the hypersensitive mini microphones she just recently bought. She figured she'd put one in the kitchen, one in the living room, one in Logan's room and one in the room that Cloud and Aeris were sleeping in. Once she got everything she met Vincent back in the front room. He gave her a sideways glance as she went to walk out the door. She stopped short and looked back at him with an aggravated stare.

"Well, are you coming, Vinny?"

Vincent stayed where he was, quite content leaning up against the wall. "Should I?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Yes, I need you to be the lookout."

Vincent complied and followed her back to the house Yuffie discovered earlier. When they reached the house she shoved the small plastic case of the microphones into Vincent's hand then walked around the house, making sure they were asleep. Much to Yuffie's amusement, they had left the living room window completely open. She didn't spy any sign in front of the house, clearly signifying that it had burglar alarms installed and if they did and didn't have the sign posted, they could get in big trouble. Here in Wutai, criminals weren't afraid to sue the owner of a house that didn't have a sticker or sign of some sort in front of their house. Yuffie knew, she'd heard it before.

She came back to where Vincent was waiting and grabbed the plastic case of microphones. "I'll need half an hour to get these things placed. You need to hide out somewhere dark. Think you can do that?"

Vincent smirked. "Most definitely."

Yuffie flashed him a thumbs up then slinked over to the front of the house and quietly jumped inside the window. She froze as soon as her feet hit the floor, making sure there were no alarms. If there were, they would have gone off by now. Yuffie softly placed one foot in front of the other as she made her way into the kitchen. She looked around for a good place to hide the first mic. She knew a nondescript, out of the way place was best. Her eyes fell on the fridge and an idea immediately sparked. She leaned down next to the large piece of machinery and ran her hand along the space between the wall and the fridge.

_Just enough room._

She fished a mic out of the box and held it in her hand. It was nothing flashy, only as big as a marble with a small antenna on the top. She flicked a switch on the back, turning it on, and smirked as the small device seemed to disappear into thin air, although it was still in her grasp.

_Thank you , Mr. Cloaking Device._ Yuffie thought as she moved into the living room.

She placed the next one behind the couch before moving into what she thought was Logan's room. She peeked her head inside the door and smiled as she spied a crib. She crouched in the middle of the room, debating whether to put the mic in the crib or in a dusty corner somewhere. Finally coming to a decision, she knew that putting it in the crib would present a risk she didn't want to take so, instead, she placed it under the dresser. There was a hollow space between the bottom of the dresser and the floor thatyou could easily stick your hand under, which provided the perfect hiding place.

After strategically placing the mic, she tiptoed over to the crib and peered in. She smirked when she saw Logan's soft, sleeping face staring back at her.

_I knew it._

She left Logan's room and ventured into the very back bedroom she presumed was Cloud and Aeris' room. She had heard stories from Red that whoever or whatever Aeris was, she was dangerous. So instead of going in the room and finding somewhere to put the mic, she pressed herself against the hall wall and looked for a good place. She settled with placing it, once again, under the dresser. They had either bought matching furniture for every room or the house had come equipped with everything.

She carefully flicked the switch in the back of the mic then crawled over to the dresser and quickly placed it before slowly backing out of the room. She stayed on all fours and continued to crawl backwards until she could no longer see inside the room. Once she was clear, she straightened back up and excited the house as quiet as she had come.

She found where Vincent was hiding. "Okay, mission accomplished."

He nodded and this time he led while Yuffie followed. As they walked back to her house, she smirked victoriously. _The Great Ninja Yuffie strikes again!_


	28. Fury

**Disclaimer:**

Do I really have to do this anymore?

**Author's Note:**

Well, here's the next installment. And, to everyone who asked why Yuffie didn't just grab Logan, I really do have an alterior motive to doing that. But the thing is if I was a three year old sleeping I'd certainly start making noise if some strange person just grabbed me right out of my bed and started carrying me out. Yuffie is only one person...her job was to provide a way to spy on them. If Red would have wanted her to grab Logan he would have said so!

Anyways, enough of me. Please read and once you're done please leave me a review! I never stopped loving reviews! They inspire me to write!

* * *

I stood in the bathroom the next afternoon brushing the tangles out of my hair. Yuffie had called this morning and had surprised all of us by revealing that she found Cloud and Aeris, along with Logan and she was waiting for me, Reno, Nanaki and the rest of the Turks to arrive in Wutai. She also told Red that she had successfully bugged the house and was getting ready to start listening in.

As I was brushing my hair, Reno was standing behind me, leaning up against the door jam. He was gazing at me intently, his eyes seeming to hold a new sparkle that I never noticed before. I was concentrating so hard on trying to keep my mind on what I was doing that I almost didn't hear what he said.

"You are so…beautiful," Reno whispered, his voice spilling over with compassion.

I stopped brushing my hair and looked over my shoulder at him. "Why do you say that?" A large smile began to appear on my face.

Reno was thrown into contemplative silence for many moments before he spoke. "You're just so radiant. You're…perfect."

I faced him fully and leaned against the bathroom sink. "Are you just saying that because I'm carrying your child?" I asked, a playful smirk on my face.

Reno scoffed as he sauntered up to me. "Of course not." He stopped in front of me then slid his hand under the hem of my shirt and softly caressed my stomach. "I just can't wait until you start showing." Reno smiled as he leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on my lips. "Then you'll be even more beautiful."

Reno continued to caress my still flat stomach before he got down on his knees and began to plant soft kisses all over my abdomen. My smile grew larger as I raised a hand to my mouth. Elena's voice from down stairs startled us from our little 'sentimental moment.' He kissed my stomach one last time before getting up and pulling me out of the bathroom.

"I'll be down in a second," I said, wrenching my hand from his grasp. "I still have to get dressed."

He nodded and descended the ladder, leaving me to my privacy. I sifted through my suitcase and finally settled on a pair of short denim shorts, a white spaghetti strap shirt and a denim jacket. I looked in the mirror, realizing that we were going to be traveling to Wutai, then went back to my suitcase and pulled out my boots and a pair of baggy denim pants.

Once I was changed, I descended the ladder as well. Red's animal features brightened slightly as I stepped into the room. "Tifa, please, sit down."

I nodded and settled down on the couch next to Reno. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed me quickly on the cheek before Red started talking.

"Yuffie has already started listening in and recording many of the conversations taking place in that house. She'll update us on everything we need to know upon arriving in Wutai. I called Cid earlier so he should be here soon in the Highwind to pick us up. Make sure you go prepared. I don't know what we'll face up there."

I got up from the couch and back into the upstairs bedroom. I had brought along my fighting gloves and numerous other materia that I thought I would need. I felt Reno stop behind me as I slid the Knights of the Round summon materia into a slot on my glove. Reno laid a restraining hand on my shoulder, making me look at him. "Tifa, you aren't thinking about fighting are you?" I looked away from his penetrating stare as I placed a mastered Cure materia into the next slot. "Tifa, you can't."

I sighed and looked at him again. "I'm just bringing them as a precaution. If we do get in a fight I promise I'll let you and everyone else handle it, okay?"

Reno took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Hearing those words from her made him relax a little more. He still didn't like the idea of her bringing materia and her fighting gloves but she promised him she wouldn't help if they had to fight, which was good enough for him.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Yuffie sat in her room with a bored look on her face as she listened to the sound of quiet shuffling and random noises in the background. She had been listening in on everything that was being said in the house Cloud and Aeris were in for hours upon hours since she woke up at nine o'clock that morning. When she had gotten up to get something to eat or walk around, Vincent would step in and listen. She didn't mind. To her, Vincent was and would always be a vampire, even though he showed none of the signs that would signify such an accusation. Just the fact that finding him sleeping in a coffin was enough to weird her out to the point where she almost reached for the first sharp stick she could find.

_Tifa and all the others should be arriving soon._ She idly thought, turning around to look at an analog clock that was hung on the wall next to the door.

Yuffie yawned and lazily closed her eyes. Damn the powers that be that gave Red the idea to bug that house. That was the stupidest idea in the world! Even though they had recorded tons of information that would probably get Cloud and Aeris' asses speared, the hours of endless silence made her want to rip her hair out.

She giggled silently to herself, recalling a certain conversation between Cloud and Aeris. They obviously had no idea that she had been in their house only last night. They –

_Wait, I hear Logan…_

Yuffie strained her ears and leaned over and made the sensitivity of the mic in Logan's room higher.

"_I want my mommy, chocobo. I not see her in so long." _His voice sounded full of tears. _"This strange lady with the weird eyes thinks that she can take care of me like mommy can but she's wrong!" _He kept his voice hushed so Cloud or Aeris wouldn't hear. _"And daddy doesn't want me to see mommy either! They say I'll be better off! Chocobo, my birthday was last month. And I didn't even get any presents…"_

Yuffie continued to listen to Logan's sniffling as he got up and shuffled out of the room. Her shoulders dropped as she pulled the headphones off of her ears and dropped them onto the table. "That's it. I can't listen anymore," she said, getting up and walking out of the room.

Vincent was sitting on the couch in her living room, flipping through a book that he had taken a liking to. He looked up at her as she entered the room. "Hear anything interesting?" He asked as his gaze fell back down onto the book.

She nodded as she collapsed into a chair. "Not really. Just a bunch of random shuffling and clinking and the sounds of a TV in the background. I heard Logan talking to his chocobo."

"Hmm," Vincent mumbled, his nose glued into his book.

Yuffie rolled her eyes and got out of the chair, striding over to the door. Taking a walk around Wutai wouldn't hurt; maybe she'd go over to the pagoda and visit her father. Now that he wasn't the Emperor of Wutai any longer he spent all of his time training in the pagoda. Yuffie would still have to train many years before she would be able to have her own floor of the pagoda, which pissed her off to no end.

She was getting ready to go look around in the materia shop when she heard the familiar dull roar of the Highwind's engines.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

I stepped off the rope ladder and looked toward Wutai, smiling as I saw Yuffie running towards me with her arms open wide.

"Tifa!" She screamed, coming to a screeching halt in front of me and throwing her arms around my neck.

"Hey, Yuff," I managed to squeak as Yuffie continued to squeeze the life out of my neck.

"Oh my Gawd, Tifa, I haven't seen you in forever!" She said, relinquishing her grip and backing up. "How are you?"

I rubbed my neck and smiled. "Pretty good."

"Well, come on!" Yuffie said, grabbing my hand. "I've got some stuff I want you to listen to."

Reno, Rude, Elena and Red followed behind at a much slower pace. After shutting down the Highwind, Cid tagged along as well. I had told him of my pregnancy and he just about had a cow when I told him Reno was the father. Then afterward, he hunted Reno down, took him up on the deck and gave him the 'male speech.' Reno didn't say much to me after Cid finished his tirade. He just went into Operations and sat solemnly like someone had just told him he was dying of cancer. I got angry and demanded Cid to tell me what he said to Reno but all he told me was:

"Leave 'im alone for a while. He needs to think."

I still wanted to know what exactly they talked about but I knew Cid was notorious for being stubborn. I wouldn't get anything out of him.

I said a quick hello to Vincent as Yuffie pulled me into the small side room where she had set her equipment up. She grabbed a tape and a mini tape player then popped the tape into it.

"This is something I recorded this morning."

There were crackling sounds as the tape started. The dull murmurs of the TV wafted in and out. I could hear clinking in the kitchen and some shuffling in one of the bedrooms.

"_Daddy!"_

"_What is it, Logan?" _Came Aeris' voice from the kitchen.

"_I don't want you! I want daddy!" _Logan said, his voice sounding angry.

"_What, Logan?"_ Cloud asked as he entered the room.

"_I want mommy,"_ he whimpered.

Cloud was silent. _"Yeah, I know."_

"_Then why can't I see her?"_ Logan asked, his voice becoming angry once again.

Aeris walked in, her voice sounding venomous. _"Because your mommy won't let Cloud see you. She doesn't think Cloud deserves to see you and help raise you."_

Logan was silent for many long moments and my blood began to boil at the sound of his sniffling. _"Well, then if she thinks he doesn't deserve to see me she's right! My mommy loves me!"_

"_If she loved you she'd let you see your father."_

"_No!" _Logan screamed. _"You're wrong! You're a mean lady! You took me from my mommy, why should I listen to you!"_

"_Because you'll never see your mommy again. They don't know where we are. They'll be searching until they finally give up."_

"_No! My mommy will never give up! She'll find me!"_

Yuffie stopped the tape and it's a good thing she did. I had balled my fists so tight, my nails were digging into my palms and some had even broken the skin. There was a fire burning behind my wine colored irises that threatened to spill out and set ablaze the tape that Yuffie held in her hands. I was so infuriated that I was literally shaking. I had never been so angry in my entire life and a part of me relished in the feeling and couldn't get enough of it. That part wanted me to run out of Yuffie's house and scour the city and let my anger out on Aeris. I would have given in to that temptation, that is, if Reno hadn't come and placed his hand on my shoulder.

I quickly turned around and slammed my fist into the wall, making Reno and everyone around me jump. The wall I had struck still reverberated from the hit. My fist had gone clean through the dry wall, into the insulation and had even managed to crack a few of the boards inside. I stood there with my fist embedded in the wall, breathing deeply.

_How _dare_ that bitch say those things to _my _son!_

Reno placed his hand on my shoulder once again. I dislodged my fist from the wall, wrenched my shoulder away from Reno's touch and stalked out of the room. I hopped up the stairs, wanting to find somewhere peaceful to think. I happened upon Yuffie's room; she had double glass doors that led out to a spacious balcony. I walked out into the warm afternoon air and leaned against the warm concrete.

Hearing Aeris talk like that to my son had made me absolutely livid. The weird thing is, if Aeris really has come back she definitely wouldn't have done any of this. She would have worked together with Cloud to kidnap my son and she certainly wouldn't have talked to him so vehemently.

Something isn't right. Something is definitely going on.

Soft footfalls jarred me from my thoughts. I didn't turn around because I had a pretty good idea whom it was. Sure enough, I felt Reno gently wrap his hands around my stomach and place his face next to mine. I closed my eyes and leaned into his embrace, relishing in his touch. Many moments passed between us. He didn't say anything, but stood there with me and waited until I was ready to talk. His method worked.

I placed my hands over his and looked over at him. "I want him back, Reno."

"I know, babe." He captured my mouth in a quick kiss before coming to stand next to me. He leaned one elbow on the railing and captured my chin with his right hand. "Tifa, Aeris will pay for what she's done. I'll make sure of it."

I nodded and leaned my forehead against his. "Sorry for what happened. Just hearing Aeris or whatever the hell she is talk like that to Logan infuriated me to no end."

"You don't need to apologize." He paused as a silly grin found its way to his face. "I'm just happy you embedded your fist in the wall instead of my face."

I smiled and rolled my eyes, a little dumbfounded that he could find humor in this situation. "You know, this isn't a laughing matter."

He nodded his understanding. "I know that." He grabbed my hand and started to lead me back into the house. "I'm just trying to make it seem like we're not going to a funeral."

I rolled my eyes again but stayed silent. Reno Willet, the insufferable clown.

"Red said he's got a plan of action."

"And I'm not a part of it, right?"

"Exactly."

I stopped abruptly and waited for him to turn around and look at me. "Reno, do you really think I'm going to sit here and do nothing after what Aeris said to my son? Reno, I have to go now."

He shook his head. "No, babe, I won't let you. I don't want to risk you getting hurt. I'd rather see myself hurt than you."

"Reno," I said, tears starting to come to my eyes. "You don't understand. I need to go with you."

"Babe," he said, coming and standing right in front of me. "I know how you feel. I know you want to be the one to rescue Logan, but I want you to stay here because I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you. Tifa, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I don't want to lose you or our baby." He gripped my arms and stared hard into my eyes. "Please just stay here. I don't want to argue with you over this."

I sighed and looked down, fighting a war with myself in my head. I wanted so bad to just blow up at him and yell at him and tell him that I'd be going whether he wanted me to or not, but another part of me told me to just obey his wishes because he was thinking about me and didn't want anything bad to happen to me. After a few moments I looked back up at him and nodded. A look of relief washed over his face at my agreement. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he leaned in and kissed me briefly.

"Thank you."

I nodded and wiped my eyes before walking with him back into Yuffie's living room. Red acknowledged our presence before speaking. "Yuffie, Vincent and all the Turks will head up this mission. The plan, in order to be successful, you must move in after they have gone to sleep. It's the safest way and you will hopefully get out without alerting Aeris or Cloud to your presence. Yuffie will find a way into the house, when an entry way has been identified Vincent will follow. The Turks will set up a perimeter around the house and provide back up if needed. Once inside, Yuffie will proceed directly to Logan's room and carefully get him out without him making any noise. Vincent will station himself outside Cloud and Aeris' room and make sure they do not awaken. If they do, Vincent you will alert Yuffie as quickly as you can then immediately get into hiding. If you are found out, be prepared to defend yourselves."

Yuffie and Vincent nodded; they would get together later and go over exactly what they were going to do. I stood behind Yuffie's couch with a lost look on my face. Where I stood, I felt like the fifth wheel. While they were out I would be sitting here, worrying about whether or not they were all right. My shoulders slumped like a immense weight had been placed on them and I suddenly felt very small.

* * *

A/N: Well, how'd you like? I hope I didn't leave a major cliffy like I did a few chapters ago...>> I'll have the next chapter up by next week if I don't have to much work for summer school... So, there's a button down there that needs some lovin'. Make me and that button happy!

Love you guys!  
Dragon Girl323


	29. She's Gone

**Disclaimer:**

Tifa, Cloud, Reno..etc...I don't own those characters, Square Enix does. But, I do own the story. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Author's Note:**

Okay..._takes deep breath_...I put a lot of stuff in this chapter and hopefully it turned out okay. I worked really really hard on making everything sound alright and trying to put the correct affect into my writing. Please let me know what you think after this chapter! I need your guy's feedback!

Oh...the little symbol that looks like this: _.xoxoxoxoxoxox. _is the break between first person(Tifa) and third person(everyone else). Sorry if all that stuff confused you guys...

* * *

"Please be careful," I said, holding Reno's face in my hands.

"I will be." He leaned forward and left a lingering kiss on my lips as he followed Yuffie and Elena out the door.

I stood at the window and watched them disappear into the darkness. I sighed and turned away from the window and met Red's tranquil yellow eyes. "They'll be fine, Tifa. In a matter of hours you'll have your son back in your arms."

I smiled and kneeled down, giving the beast a warm hug. I unwrapped my arms from Red and started towards Yuffie's room.

Cid stopped me before I was able to escape. He grabbed my elbow gently but firmly and made me look at him.

"You gonna be okay, Teef?" He asked, concern floating around in his blue eyes.

"Yeah, I just feel so useless. I wish there was something more I could do."

"Teef, you bein' here is the best thing you can do right now. Believe me, Teef, Reno loves you more than life itself. I can see it in the way he looks at you. He's doing this for you."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"Now you go get some rest. I'm gonna go out and get a drink. Hopefully by the time I get back, Logan'll be here."

"I hope so too."

Cid hugged me before turning and walking out of the house. I stood and stared at the door he disappeared behind before continuing up the stairs and into Yuffie's room.

Once I was out on the balcony, I leaned on the concrete and stared down at the town with a far away look in my eyes. No words could express the emotions that were bombarding me. I felt so powerless to everything around me.

I sighed heavily and laid my head down on the cool surface of the concrete before straightening and going back into Yuffie's room. I lay down on her bed and wrapped my arms around one of her pillows, praying to whatever god out there that when I woke up Logan would be safe with Reno downstairs.

---

What felt like only minutes later I woke from my slumber. Almost immediately I knew something wasn't right. Something…no…_someone_…was in the room with me. At first I wondered if it could be Reno so, without thinking, I opened my eyes and gaped at what I saw.

Aeris was standing in front of me with an evil smirk on her face. "Hello, Tifa," she said as her eyes began to glow a sickly bright green as she reached for me.

My initial feeling was to scream and that's exactly what I did.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Yuffie found the same window she had snuck into before open wide and smirked as she slowly but quickly slipped in.

_Man, these two are basket cases…_

Once she was inside, she crouched down next to the window and signaled for Vincent to come in as well. She held her index finger over her mouth then crawled on all fours into Logan's room. She stopped inside the doorway and watched Vincent station himself outside Cloud and Aeris' bedroom door. He gave her a thumbs up. She nodded then slowly rose to her feet and walked towards Logan's crib.

She stopped mere inches away and gazed down at his peaceful form. She carefully reached inside her pocket and picked out a materia orb. She held it up and smiled into the pale yellow glow. She held the orb tightly in her hand as she raised it over the crib and concentrated. A cloudy haze engulfed Logan as she cast the most powerful Sleep spell she could without killing him.

Once the spell was cast, she gently leaned over and picked Logan up, cradling the back of his head in her hand. She turned around and tiptoed her way out of the room and signaled Vincent to follow her. She made her way to the window as quick as she could without making too much noise. She took a deep breath and held it in as she came to the window and as soon as she was outside and in the clear did she let it out and breathe regularly. She escaped to the dark side of the house and crouched down then risked a glance down at Logan. She smiled as she stared down at his still sleeping face.

She hugged him gently to her chest as she pictured Tifa's reaction. Her soul bubbled with anticipation picturing the joy on Tifa's face as she held her son for the first time in almost two months. A hand gently landed on her shoulder and Reno stared pleadingly into her eyes, holding his hands out to receive Logan.

She slowly handed him over and her eyes widened as she watched Reno. As he looked down at Logan, a few shining tears dropped from his eyes. He tightly shut his eyes as he leaned down and kissed the top of his head. Reno smiled reassuringly at Yuffie as he pressed Logan protectively to his chest.

"Let's go," he mouthed as he got up.

Then, something happened that made Reno freeze with fear. The large smile that had slithered onto his face was quickly wiped away at the sound of a very loud and very horrified scream.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

All I remembered was my screams filling the room as I slipped into darkness. I jumped awake and was greeted by the starry sky and grassy expanses of the plains outside of Wutai, but we were a long way from Wutai; I could barely see it in the distance.

I quickly looked down at my hands and sighed with relief to find my gloves still there. Immediately I jumped to my feet and raised my fists in front of my face and looked around for Aeris.

I turned and came face to face with her. She still had the same smirk on her face. I clenched my teeth and my muscles tightened, preparing for whatever would come next. "Okay, enough fooling around," I said, backing up a little. "What the hell are you? Because I know that you're not Aeris."

"You're very intuitive."

I stared in horror as the being I thought was Aeris shifted and changed. Her skin lost its pigment and grew a pale gray. The pink ribbon in her hair disappeared and her chestnut locks became black and bunched into dread locks. Her hair then began to writhe as if it were actually alive. My eyes widened and I took a step back when small beady, red eyes could be seen as the dread locks became more definable. I gasped as I realized what they were.

Snakes. Whatever Aeris was, she was become some kind of Medusa creature.

The glowing green of her eyes turned totally black with the exception of red pupils. Her fingernails turned black and grew into sharp points. The petite pink dress vanished as well, leaving her naked. The creature grinned at me, showing sharp fangs. The snakes in her hair hissed viciously, their tongues lapping the air.

I grimaced as I took another precautionary step back, raising my fists in front of me. "What the hell are you?"

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno ran back to Yuffie's house as fast as he possibly could without jostling Logan too much. The chilling fright that had shot down his spine had moved into his stomach and seemed to be freezing him from the inside out. His heart was beating frantically as she gently clutched Logan to his chest. He hoped that the scream he had heard had originated from somewhere else.

He rammed into the front door with his shoulder, making sure Logan was safely wrapped in his arms, sending it flying off the hinges. Red came shooting down the stairs and came to a skidding halt in front of him.

"Red, where is she?" He almost yelled as he handed Logan to Elena and grabbed the red beast's shoulders roughly.

Red hung his head and shamefully closed his lone eye. "She's gone," he whispered almost inaudibly.

Reno stumbled away from the fiery feline with a lost look in his eyes. "Do you know who did it?"

Red sighed and shook his head a few times. "It was Aeris."

"Are you sure?" Reno asked, his voice urgent.

He nodded. "Yes, I rushed up to Yuffie's room after I heard Tifa scream. I got there just in time to see Aeris disappear with her."

Reno looked as though he would faint. He covered his eyes with his hands and slowly dragged them down his face. He felt like this was some kind of sick dream, something one would have as a recurring nightmare that haunted him every night until he was no longer sane enough to distinguish his nightmares from reality. He stumbled over to the couch and leaned against the back. It felt like he had just been punched in the stomach by a sumo wrestler. His stomach twisted into fifty different knots and soon ached so much that he swore the pain would send him into unconsciousness.

He looked up at his comrades, looking into each of their faces. Elena was biting her bottom lip as she stared down at the toddler in her arms. Rude was standing there with a passive stare. His dark sunglasses that he wore even at night made it hard to read his emotions. Yuffie was standing next to Red with a defeated look in her violet eyes, looking just as lost as Reno felt. Vincent was just leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. If he was feeling anything at that moment he sure didn't show it. Red still had his head hung low, his lone yellow eye closed shamefully.

Then, almost as it someone had opened up a floodgate, tears began to pour out of Reno's eyes and run down his face. His knees buckled from underneath him, sending him crashing to the floor. If he wouldn't have been holding onto the couch so fiercely he surely would have collapsed. He tentatively brought a hand up to his face to try and hide the tears that were flowing so freely down his cheeks. He didn't want anyone to see him cry, he didn't want to seem weak but he just couldn't stop.

Loud footsteps could be heard coming towards him and before he knew what was happening a pair of strong hands were lifting him up off the floor.

"Reno, get up, goddamit! What the hell happened here!" Cid yelled, shaking Reno's shoulders roughly.

"She's gone," Reno whimpered.

"Dammit, who's gone? I leave for a few hours and the whole house seems to have fallen apart!"

"Tifa," he whispered, saying nothing more.

"What! What do you mean 'she's gone'? It's not like she sprouted wings and flew away! What the hell happened?" He repeated, his yells reverberating through the house.

Reno roughly shoved Cid's hands off of him. "Aeris took her, goddamit!" His tears apparently forgotten, his anger started to well up inside of him like a bomb ready to explode.

Cid frowned, before his face got beat red. He looked over at Red. "How the hell did that happen?"

"Aeris took Tifa and disappeared into thin air." The feline's ears flattened and his voice got a little on edge. He didn't enjoy it when Cid yelled, especially now since Logan could wake up any time and find out that his mother was not here.

"Well, what are all standing around here for! Tifa surely ain't gonna come back by herself! Split up and start lookin'!" He paused for a second when he saw Elena holding Logan. "Elena, leave Logan with the cat."

Red looked shocked for a few seconds before what Cid said finally registered. "You can't leave him with me! If he wakes up and starts crying I won't know what to do!"

"Don't worry about it," Cid said, as he watched Elena lay Logan down on the couch. "If he wakes up, just make funny faces at him."

"Cid, remember who you're talking to," Red replied, his voice becoming aggravated. "I can't do much in the 'face' department."

"Sucks ta be you huh?" He looked away from Red before the feline could get any more comments in. "Alright, Yuffie and Vincent, you check Da Chao. Elena and Rude, you search the town and if you find Cloud don't let 'im get away. Reno and I are gonna look around outside Wutai."

Cid grabbed Reno's arm and drug him out of Yuffie's house. A thought occurred to him, which made him stop abruptly. Reno wasn't paying attention in the least and slammed into Cid's back.

"Have you thought about what I told you, you little bastard?" Reno looked up into older man's eyes with the blankest stare Cid ever witnessed on a living human being. His eyes were so glazed over that Cid swore Reno must have been drunk. Cid rolled his eyes after Reno didn't answer him. "Never mind," he mumbled as he continued to pull Reno behind him. "We'll talk later."

His keen eyes caught a solitary figure walking through the darkness. His blood began to boil when he identified said figure. He let go of Reno's arm, almost entirely certain that he wouldn't make a move. He slinked up behind unaware blonde and grabbed his shoulders, slamming him up against the side of the building he was against.

"Cloud, you pansy ass mother fucker!" Cid yelled, taking the blonde totally by surprise. "You better come up with a damn good excuse why I shouldn't rip your balls off right here!" Cloud cringed under Cid's death glare but said nothing. "Well! Are you gonna speak up or should I just stick my fist down your throat?"

He hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're _sorry_? Boy, there aren't enough sorry's in the world to convince me to forgive you for what you've done!"

"Cid, stop!" Cloud said, raising his voice just enough so the old captain might listen. "I know what I did was wrong but I was just doing what Aeris told me."

"You do know that isn't really Aeris right?" Cid spat. Once again, Cloud was silent. That only made Cid even more pissed off. "Well, if you know where she took Tifa you better tell me right now!"

Cloud sighed and looked away from Cid's penetrating stare. "She didn't tell me where she was going."

"Well, that helps me out a lot." He gripped Cloud by his collar. "I ain't lettin' you outta my sight. You're comin' with me."

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

"I'm the last living remnant of Jenova," the creature sneered.

Tifa frowned. "What? How? We destroyed Jenova."

"Not entirely." The creature took a few steps towards me as she continued to speak. "You and your little band of infidels didn't quite kill Jenova Synthesis. You see, the last cut of Cloud Strife's sword severed a living part of her off. After that, her body perished but that severed part lived and became me. I floated through the Lifestream, gathering the knowledge of the Ancient ones until I found a spring from which I could escape. After I escaped, there was only one thing on my mind: bring revenge to all of you." She pointed a long finger at me.

"Then why did you pick me first?" I inquired, becoming more confused.

"Well, that's simple. As I traveled through the Lifestream I learned about the bond that had grown between Cloud and the last Cetra, Aeris. I used Cloud's weakness for Aeris against him. And after he lost custody of his only child he probably would have listened to anyone, even a ghost."

"Well, what's your name? Every Jenova has a name," I said as the creature began to slowly circle around me. I followed her movements, making sure I kept my eyes on her.

"Jenova Alpha."

"Okay, are we going to make circles around each other all night or you gonna make the first move?" I gritted my teeth as she snickered.

Her eyes narrowed she stretched her hands out in front of her. The ground began to rumble and vibrate as she pulled large boulders out of the ground. Some were covered in layers upon layers of age-old dirt while others had not a speck upon them. She hovered them in front of her before sending them hurling towards me. I dodged and deflected them easily enough.

"Is that all you can do?" I challenged. "If throwing rocks is what you're good at then I'm game." I balled my right fist and concentrated on the mastered Earth materia. I smirked as surprise overtook the Jenova creature's face as a large column of the earth sprung up and seemed to swallow her.

I knew it was far from over so I readied myself for her next attack, which came faster than I thought.

Bolts of electricity snaked up from the ground as she shot up through the dirt. She shot her hands in my direction, sending more electric currents my way. I tensed my muscles, knowing that I wouldn't be able to escape from that kind of attack. The currents slammed into me, making tremors shoot through my body. I grit my teeth and endured the white-hot pain that coursed through every inch of my body. She couldn't keep this up forever. After a few more moments of the currents searing my muscles, it stopped abruptly.

I shook the pain off and ran towards her, hitting her with a barrage of punches and kicks. My fierce attack made her take up a defensive stance and for a split second it seemed as though I was winning until she threw her hands out in front of her, once again bombarding me with electricity. This certain attack, though, wasn't as powerful as her last. She used it solely just to get away, cheating if you ask me.

"I certainly hope that isn't all you can do either." An evil smirk slithered onto her face and a bad feeling started to brew in the pit of my stomach. Something in the back of my mind was telling me the worst was yet to come.

She lifted up her hands once again and I thought she was going to start shooting lightning at me again, that is, until her sharp black fingernails began to grow even longer. Once they were almost three times as long as they were before she flicked her hands, sending the nails flying towards me like mini daggers. I tried to dodge as many of them as I could but because of how dark it was, seeing the projectiles was a difficult task; many of them skimmed by my arms and face. I instinctively put my hands in front of my stomach and turned slightly, trying to prevent any of them from being embedded into my flesh.

I gingerly touched a cut on my cheek before looking at her menacingly. She smiled, as if to challenge me. That was all I needed. I charged towards her, swung my fist back and unleashed Final Heaven. I heard Jenova's curdled scream as she was hurled back, coming into contact with a cliff wall. She was traveling so fast that she almost shot all the way through the rock face. I grinned as I shook my fist out and walked towards the mangled cliff.

I cautiously watched as she slowly crawled out of the cliff. I carefully examined her and found that she was favoring one ankle and her right arm had been badly mangled. We stood in front of each other, staring into the other's eyes like the battle could be won if we used only our eyes. The silence between us was so thick that the air actually felt heavier.

She sneered at me for the fiftieth time that night. That was really starting to annoy me. "You think you're so clever don't you?" She asked, edging toward me. "You think you've won."

My top lip turned up some form of disgusted scowl. "No," I answered, breaking the silence once more. Jenova frowned at my answer. "I know I've won." I grinned menacingly at her.

A confused look engulfed the empty black eyes, which then turned into shock as I lunged at her. She tried raising her arms to defend herself but because of the state her right arm was in she only managed to fully raise her left arm. Her attempt was futile, however, because as soon as I saw her raise her arm I grabbed her wrist and flung her around so her back was facing me and her arm was hooked around behind her. She looked back at me with a horrified look as I twisted my foot around her shin, holding her in place, and slammed her upper body back into the cliff.

I heard sick cracks and pops that made me grimace. I know that I broke her other arm and possibly cracked her skull along with several vertebrae. I was about to let her go when a sharp pain shot up my right arm.

_Shit! The snakes!_

My eyes flew down to my wrist where one of the black creatures had its long shiny fangs imbedded in my arm. I noticed that almost all the other snakes were either dead or dying; this one was the only one left that could actually do any harm. I quickly shook my arm, dislodging the creature from my wrist. I quickly shoved Jenova over before slamming my other hand down on my throbbing wrist.

I heard Jenova's evil laughter and I gazed down at her mangled body almost in amazement. She no longer had the use of her arms and I had probably paralyzed her, but still she insisted on making all of this some kind of sick joke. It was so ironic that I almost forgot to laugh.

"So, let me guess," I started. "They're poisonous right?"

She nodded, a large grin still on her face.

"Shit," I mumbled as I stared down at my arm. "Well, then I guess I better end this." I concentrated on the Knights of the Round and smiled as the 13 knights surrounded her.

Her screams echoed out into the night sky and when the summon ended, she still lay there screaming, her body melting like a barrel of chemical waste had been poured on top of her. She writhed and squirmed as the ground swallowed her. I just stood over her; still holding fast onto my aching wrist long after her body had disappeared.

Only then did I realize how much my arm hurt. The poison was moving up and it wouldn't be long until it got to my heart and, then, my brain. I had to get back to Wutai and find an Antidote. I didn't know how much time I had before the poison completely incapacitated me. I didn't even know which are of my body it would affect first. I became panicked as I ran through the fields toward Wutai.

What if the poison killed my baby?

I shook that horrible thought from my head. I didn't want to think about that.

I gritted my teeth as the pain shooting up my arm became almost unbearable. Tears blurred my vision and I almost stumbled a few times. Walking was moving the poison through my body at an even faster rate. My right arm was so numb it felt like I didn't even have a right arm at all. My legs were becoming heavy, like lead weights were tied around my ankles. It was becoming harder and harder to place one foot in front of the other. It was like my whole body was shutting down.

I stopped and leaned my good hand on my knee. Breathing had become a chore, like my lungs were filling with water. I dared a glance at my right arm. It definitely felt much worse than it looked. Blood was still trickling out of the puncture wounds and the area around the bite had become inflamed and red.

I took a labored breath and continued walking. I had to hold my limp arm still in front of my stomach because it would slap violently against my led and send white-hot flashes of pain through my body. I let go of my right arm for a second so I could wipe away the tears that were blurring my vision, preventing me from seeing clearly. Once I could see again I quickly grabbed my numb arm and continued my slow but steady pace towards the shining lights in the distance.

Movement off to my left caught the attention of my badly focused eyes. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision and almost started crying when I saw Reno and Cid walking through the fields. I collapsed onto my knees and stopped myself from doing a face plant in the grass by catching myself with my good arm. I tried to find my voice but my throat had become extremely dry.

I swallowed a few times before crying out. "Reno!" I screamed, hoping and praying that my voice was loud enough so they could hear me. I kept my gaze on them and my breath caught in my throat as Cid and Reno both looked in my direction and started to run towards me. I started to cry, so happy that I had found them. I watched them move toward me and noticed Cid was dragging someone along with him but I didn't care who it was at that moment.

My arm started to shake from holding up my weight and I finally collapsed. Reno came skidding to stop next to me and dropped down to his knees, wrapping his arms around me. "Oh my God, Tifa," he said, his voice cracking.

"Reno," I chocked out. "You need to find an Antidote."

He looked down at my face with a scared expression. "Why?" He asked, warily.

"My right arm." I tried to move it but I only managed a slight twitch.

He gently picked my arm up in his hand and a horrified expression overcame his face as he looked the bite marks. "What did this?" He asked, holding my arm gingerly as not to hurt me.

"Aeris…she was some kind of – " Cid cut me off.

"Tifa, shut your mouth! Tell us later! Reno, what the hell are you doing! Pick her up and move your ass!"

Reno carefully but swiftly lifted me into his arms and began to run in the direction of Wutai. My vision became so blurry it looked like I was under water. A gentle warmth enclosed my body and the pain from the poison coursing through my veins disappeared. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and darkness swallowed me.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay, I know you guys are going to kill me for leaving another cliff hanger but this chapter was already really long and there was no other place that I could stop it... I hope the fight scene between Jenova and Tifa was okay...I had to rewrite it about three times before it sounded good enough to keep. So I'm going to try my hardest to get the next chapter up as soon as possible so hold off the knives and pitchforks until the next chapter.


	30. Soft And Warm

**Disclaimer:**

So on and so forth and la de da de da...

**Author's Note:**

Well, here's the next installment. The chapter you've been waiting for! You guys finally get to find out what Cid talked to Reno about! Hope you like what I wrote! Oh and there is a lemon at the end of this chapter. Sort of like celebration sex. For those of you who don't want to read it just go ahead and skip past it once it starts. I won't hold it against ya!

Hope you guys like this chapter! Only a few more to go! I'm planning on making a sequel but the thing is right now I'm lacking in the idea department so if any of you have any ideas for what you would like to see happen in the sequel please let me know in your review. For those of you that know me, I always give the person who gave me the idea credit. So send me some ideas!

Enough of me...more of the story!

* * *

"_Tifa…"_

A soft voice calls my name. My eyebrows crease as I try to find the speaker in the immense black abyss. I stretch my arms out in front of me but my hands claw nothing but air.

"_Tifa…"_

The voice speaks again and this time I can see a faint glimmer of light far off in the distance. I run towards the speck of light but it almost seems like I'm running on a treadmill. No matter how hard or how fast I run I don't get any closer to the light. I stop and rest my hands on my knees. It's hopeless. I'm just chasing something that I'll never be able to grasp. I look up and stare at the light that's hanging almost mockingly in front of me. I must reach it.

I straighten and as I take the first step toward the light its white purity engulfs me, temporarily blinding me with its brilliance. When my eyes finally adjust to the blinding white I gape at the form in front of me. The flower girl stands in front of me with the same gentle smile she always wore in the face of adversity. Her hands were loosely clasped in front of her, her many silver bracelets gathered at the bottoms of her wrists.

"Hello, Tifa." Her voice wafts through the air like an old melody.

I look around with a confused look on my face before I remember the snakebite. "Am I…?" I'm almost afraid to voice the whole question, afraid of what the chestnut haired girl in front of me would say.

But, much to my relief, she shakes her head and smiles knowingly. "No, I just…borrowed you for a little." She closed the gap between us and grabbed my hands in hers. "I'd like to apologize."

I frowned. I now knew that Aeris Gainsborough wasn't to blame when it came to the kidnapping of my son. It was Jenova's scheming, not the flower girl. "For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

She nodded. "I know, but I just wanted to make sure you didn't hold any resentful feelings towards me."

"Aeris I could never do that. You're like my sister."

She smiled once again. "Thank you, Tifa." She wrapped me in a warm hug and leaned close to my ear. "Oh, and don't worry. She'll be just fine."

I was about to ask who 'she' was but before I could open my mouth I was sucked back into the dark vortex.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno lowered Tifa's lifeless body down onto Yuffie's plush couch and swiftly grabbed the Antidote that Elena held out to him. He jerked the cap off the bottle and carefully cradled the back of her head in his palm and slowly poured the green contents of the bottle into her dry mouth.

Once the bottle was empty, he cast it to the side and grabbed one of her hands, holding it tightly against his chest. He had been so happy when he had found her out in the fields beyond Wutai but had been immediately scared to death as he rushed her back to town. He watched her tranquil face, waiting for her to open her dark wine eyes and smile at him and tell him she was all right. He waited for what felt like an eternity while she lay motionless on the couch.

Finally, he could no longer hold back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes. He buried his face in the couch cushions as the conversation between himself and Cid replayed in his head.

_Cid not so gently dragged the helpless ex-Turk by the collar of his shirt out onto the deck of the Highwind. He threw him from his grasp and stood menacingly over him. Reno felt like he was an ant and Cid was a kid with a magnifying glass getting ready to scorch the hell out of him. _

_Reno knew exactly what this conversation was going to be about. Tifa had presumably told Cid about her pregnancy and Cid, being the fatherly figure he always is, took it upon himself to set the red haired rascal straight. _

"_I really hope you know what this is going to be about," Cid said, his eyes spitting fire out at him. _

_Reno nodded and looked away from the old pilot's penetrating stare. "Yeah, I think I do."_

"_Then please tell me." Cid crossed his arms across his broad chest and leaned up against the Highwind's railing. _

_Reno scratched the back of his head nervously. "It's about Tifa's pregnancy isn't it?"_

"_You got that one right. Now let me tell you something." Cid gripped the railing with one strong hand and turned towards Reno like he would punch the poor guy out if he said something wrong. "I was never stupid enough to get a girl knocked up before I got married but tell me what you plan to do now that you and Tifa are expecting a baby."_

_Reno was taken aback by the pilot's words. He really hadn't taken that certain topic to heart because he was too focused on getting Logan back safely in Tifa's arms. He looked away from the pilot's fiery blue eyes and looked out at the equally blue sky. Of course now that he was thinking about it, marriage was the first thing that popped into his head and he could definitely say that he would marry that woman in a heart beat, but he himself wasn't sure if even he was ready for that kind of commitment. _

_Cid impatiently cleared his throat, waiting for Reno's answer. Reno swallowed the saliva that had built up in his dry mouth. "Well, I know that you want me to say that I'm gonna marry her – "_

"_And you damn well better." The old pilot wasted no time in finishing his sentence for him. "If you aren't ready for a commitment like marriage then maybe you should have been thinking a little clearer before you made sweet love to her. That girl has been through too much in her life. Way too much. I'm surprised she's even sane! All that she's been through would have driven any normal person crazy by now. She's stronger than most of the women I know but she's still fragile and you have to realize that. Tifa loved Cloud but then he turns around and hurts her worse than anyone else has. I'm worried about her because if you decide to leave her too I'm pretty sure she'd have to be committed to a mental hospital for the rest of her damned life. You better think about your feelings for that woman before you make any hasty decisions. You say you love her with all your heart, but do you really?"_

Cid's speech had really struck a cord within Reno's heart. He truly did love Tifa and the prospect of leaving her never once entered his mind when she told him she was pregnant. Spending a few hours in Operations had given him a chance to figure out what he really wanted with his relationship with Tifa.

He wanted to spend the rest of his life with that woman.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

It was many long moments before I finally began to surface to the state of awareness. There were many people around me that I was for sure. They were crowded around me, many of them talking at the same time their voices mingling together and creating an unwanted noise in my clouded mind. I could feel someone gripping one of my hands; I was relieved to find that I had regained feeling in my extremities.

I opened my eyes and managed to silence many of the voices as they stared at me with shock in their gazes. My eyes fell down to my hand and found Reno kneeling on the floor next to me, holding onto my hand like I was going to fall through the couch and down into the depths of the Earth if he happened to let go. His face was buried in the cushion of the couch and his other hand was gripping the back of the couch to the point he might rip it.

Everyone's silence had obviously not alerted Reno at all. He kept his face buried in the cushion and his hand firmly gripping mine. I flexed the fingers of my left hand to test whether or not I did indeed have the feeling in all my limbs back. One corner of my mouth curled up as I could feel my nails softly touch the sensitive skin of my palm. I stared at the top of Reno's red head before hesitantly raising my left hand and softly running my fingers through his long hair.

His body immediately went rigid and I quickly pulled my hand away as a result. Many long, silent moments later Reno finally spoke up. "Was it just my imagination or did Tifa touch me just now? Please, someone tell me I'm right."

I didn't wait long enough for someone to give him an answer. Instead I sat up and leaned forward, grabbing Reno's head off of the couch and planting a kiss on his lips. After a few seconds he pulled back and stared at me with wide eyes before planting another kiss on my lips. He wrapped his arms tightly around me like if he let go of me I'd slip back into the comatose state I had been in only five minutes ago.

I snuggled my face into the crook of his neck and inhaled the scent of his cologne. He backed away and held my face in his hands, pressing his forehead against mine. "You have no idea how worried I was," he whispered.

"I think I have an idea," I said, one side of my mouth pulling up.

He kissed me once more before standing up. "There's someone that wants to see you." He offered his hand to help me off of the couch and I gladly took it. I felt a little dizzy when I got up but the feeling quickly passed. I gasped as I saw Logan standing with Elena. I kneeled down on the floor and stretched my arms out toward him. "Come here, baby."

He stood staring at me with his large blue eyes for a few more seconds before dashing away from Elena and jumping into my arms. I caught him and tightly latched onto him, vowing never to let him be taken away so easily from me ever again. Tears began to quickly cloud my vision as I held my son in my arms for the first time in months. Feeling his tiny body in my arms was something I missed terribly. I thought I'd never see him again.

"I missed you, mommy," he mumbled, his small arms locked around my neck.

"I missed you too, sweetie," I said, running my fingers through his fuzzy golden hair. "God, I missed you."

A matching head of blonde hair caught my attention. My eyes widened as I spotted Cloud standing next to Cid, who was firmly gripping the young blonde's shoulder. At first, I was so shocked all the words that I had wanted to scream at Cloud vanished. I only managed a gaping stare, like he was some kind of old friend that I hadn't seen in years. I wanted to run up to him and hit him so hard, but I didn't. I knew I'd probably be doing him a favor.

I looked at Cid and the gruff old pilot shoved Cloud forward. I inwardly rolled my eyes as Cloud stumbled towards me. I had hoped I wouldn't have to speak to him ever again.

He stopped in front of me and stared into my eyes like I was supposed to be the one who stared the conversation. Reno placed his hand on my waist, wanting to get through to Cloud that I was his. I turned my eyes to Reno and sent him a knowing glance. It was almost we had a conversation just with our eyes. His eyes said 'I want to stand right here and watch him' but my eyes told him 'I'll take care of this.' He nodded and backed away a few paces, giving me a little space.

Everyone's gazes were on us as we stood in front of each other in silence.

"Tifa…I – " Cloud started.

I gripped Logan with one hand and quickly brought the other up, stalling his speech. "Cloud, please, don't try to apologize. I know that you're doing it because Cid threatened bodily harm if you didn't. Spare me. I know you aren't sorry."

"But, Tifa, I am! I really am! At first, I wanted to get back at you but…" He stopped and looked away from me, almost like he was embarrassed to say anything else. "Once we kidnapped Logan, I couldn't help but think that we were doing the wrong thing."

I stared hard into his glowing mako eyes and shook my head slowly. "You still did it. I don't care how many times you apologize to me or Logan. You still kidnapped him with full knowledge of what you were doing. It's not like Jenova hypnotized you or something." I stopped talking, figuring I had said enough. "Cid, get him out of here."

Cid was more than happy to comply. He roughly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and walked with him outside. I stared at the closed door, thanking whatever gods were up in the heavens that I hopefully wouldn't have to look at Cloud's face ever again.

Nanaki padded up next to me and touched his wet nose to my leg. I looked down at him as he sat down. I lowered myself onto the couch so I could see the fiery feline a little better. "I just thought I'd let you know it was no easy task keeping him quiet. He started wailing as soon as he woke up, refusing to be silenced until you were here. I finally got him to quiet down when I waved my tail in his face. Like so." Red got up and turned around, copying the motion that had calmed Logan.

Logan laughed and gripped his tail, running his fingers through the flames. I would always be fascinated by Red's species. I always thought the fire burning on his tail could still burn things but, evidentially, such was not the case. I smiled and tears burned my eyes as I listened to Logan's laugh; a laugh that I had been missing from my life for far too long.

I yawned, realizing how tired I was. I looked at a clock and was surprised when the hands read almost one o'clock in the morning. I brought my gaze back to Reno. "You wanna go to bed?" I asked, my eyes reflecting my fatigue.

He nodded. "Yuffie prepared a guest room for us."

I gathered Logan up in my arms and followed Reno up to the guest bedroom. I smiled as I spied a crib upon entering the room. "Wow, Yuffie definitely pulled out all the stops," I said, walking Logan over to the crib. I began to lower him down but Logan began to fuss in protest.

"No, mommy! I no wanna sleep here!" He wailed, gripping my shoulders.

"Why?" I asked, giving him a funny look. "I won't be that far away. Reno and I will be in that bed right there."

Logan looked over my shoulder, nervously sucking on a few of his fingers. "You won't go bye bye again, will you?" He asked, looking back at me.

I shook my head. "No, Logan, I'll never leave you again."

My answer seemed to satisfy him for the time being. I lowered him down into the crib and pulled the sneakers off his feet before wrapping a blanket that Yuffie placed in the crib around him. I was about to turn around and get dressed for bed when Logan got up all of a sudden.

"Mommy, my chocbo and bankie!" He exclaimed.

I frowned. "Yuffie must have forgotten to grab them. We'll go back tomorrow and get your chocobo and blankie okay?"

He nodded. "Night, mommy." He stretched his arms out toward me and wrapped them around my neck before snuggling up in the bottom of the crib once again.

I jumped as the lights flicked out. I turned and walked toward Reno who was leaning mischievously against the wall near the light switch. I stopped a few inches in front of him, taking note of the wide grin on his face. "What are you thinking about, dear?" I asked, leaning into him and drawing a few circles on his chest with my nails.

His grin got wider as he pulled me closer. "All the different ways I can get you out of those clothes."

I rolled my eyes and lowered my voice; if Logan was still awake I wouldn't want him to hear any of this. "Reno, I don't think it's a very good idea for us to be having sex with my three year old son a few feet away and about six other people in the general vicinity."

"Everyone but Red, Yuffie and Cid are going to be staying at the inn. So that leaves only three." He leaned in and placed his mouth next to my ear. His warm breath made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "We don't really have to make all that noise you know. I bet you we could get through having sex without ever making a peep."

I smirked, curious to find out if we really could. I grabbed his shirt and began to back up towards the bed. "I think I'll have to take you up on your little offer." I quickly spun around and pushed him onto the bed, straddling him. I slowly undid all the buttons on his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. By the time I got his shirt off of him he had completely undone my pants and was eagerly waiting to start stripping me.

His hands went for my shirt but I quickly pushed them away. He grabbed my hips roughly and pulled me towards him. "No one likes a tease, love," he breathed, his voice full of lust.

I grinned as I realized the effect I was having on him already. "Aw," I pouted, swaying my hips on his lap. "But it's so much fun."

Reno closed his eyes and groaned softly. "To you maybe but not to me." He wrapped his strong arms around me and shot up from the bed then twisted around and tossed me onto the soft sheets.

I stared at the bulging protrusion that screamed to be freed from his pants as he crawled onto the bed. He leaned down and planted an excruciatingly long kiss on my lips, flicking his tongue around mine. His erection pressed against me and I arched my back, grinding our lower halves together. He grunted as he reached down and undid his pants, allowing his pulsing member to escape.

"Okay," he whispered, pushing his pants and boxers off his legs and tossing them to the side. "Your turn."

I swiftly pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor. Reno hovered above me and watched me as I slowly took my bra off. He stared at my chest like it was made out of the finest gold in the world before placing a hand over one of my breasts and massaged the supple flesh. I suppressed the urge to moan and, instead, let out a jagged breath.

Suddenly, a very scandalous idea popped into my head. An evil grin surfaced but I immediately wiped it away when he looked back up at me. "Mmm," I cooed, grabbing his face and kissing him. "Reno?"

"Yeah?" He said, his voice raspy.

"I have an idea," I said, trying to make my voice sound as steamy as possible.

"Yeah?" He repeated, sliding off of me.

I got up and walked around to the front of the bed, beaconing him with my finger. He scooted to the edge with a curious look as I backed away. I slowly undid the rest of my zipper and eased my pants off of me. I sauntered up to a wide-eyed Reno rubbing my hands up and down my stomach. Once I got close enough so he could reach me he left soft kisses all over my stomach and pushed my panties off of my wet womanhood.

"You have no idea how sexy that was," he said in hushed whispers as his fingers roamed down south.

I leaned my head back at his touch and supported myself on his shoulders. His movements were slow and precise; he was in no hurry what so ever. I swiveled my hips against his rotating fingers and I finally couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Oh," I moaned in a hushed whisper. "Oh God, Reno."

I breathed in sharply as he began pumping his fingers in and out. My sighs had apparently egged him on to the point where he could no longer stand to go slow. A pleased smile engulfed my features as he pulled his fingers out of me. I dropped my gaze back down and leaned forward to give him a kiss. Our tongues danced around each other and no sooner had we begun our tongue lock, he pulled away.

"Don't move." He slid off the bed and sat on the floor between my legs. "Lean over the bed."

I complied, placing my hands firmly on the edge of the bed. He planted a few soft kisses around my opening before plunging his tongue inside me. I gripped the edge of the bed and clenched my toes as waves of pleasure racked my body. I had no idea the sensations I was feeling at that moment could be amplified just by standing up. My knees almost buckled as I came; suppressing the sigh that had been building up was no easy task but I managed to pull it off, only letting a stressed squeal through my clenched teeth.

He moved out from under and stood up, wrapping his arms lovingly around my waist. He caressed my stomach then moved both hands up to cup my breasts. He placed his mouth close to my ear. I could feel his warm breath on my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. "You are so beautiful."

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me around then began to ease me down on the bed so we could finish what we started. I resisted though and made him lay down on the bed. I crawled on top of him. "My turn to be on top," I whispered huskily.

A large grin overcame his features. "I'm all yours, beautiful."

I eased him inside me slowly. My body quickly adjusted to his size and in no time I had begun moving up and down, back and forth. Being the one on top gave me total control over how fast or how slow we went. I started out slow, wanting to build up. "Remember Reno," I said, between thrusts. "Don't make a sound."

He nodded quickly, his eyes closed tightly as I rode him steadily. "No problem, babe."

After a few minutes of moving excruciatingly slow Reno could no longer take it and slammed his pelvis into mine, begging for me to go faster. I happily obliged, picking up the pace considerably. A deep guttural growl erupted from the pit of Reno's stomach. I kept my own sighs and moans to raspy breaths and small whimpers. Reno grabbed my hips and started slamming me down harder and harder onto his shaft, craving the grinding of our bodies. Then he suddenly gripped my sides and held me in place, shoving his pelvis up and out.

I almost screamed at the wave of unbridled pleasure he had just sent through my body. I bit my tongue and the scream came out as an exasperated sigh. We stopped but we were still far from reaching our climax.

I looked down at him to find a pleased smirk stretching across his face. "You like that, huh?" He asked, before he repeated his previous action

This time I came about two seconds away from crying out so loud that someone across town could have heard me. "Oh God, Reno, more," I pleaded, gripping his shoulders as he repeated his new thrusting motion over and over and over until my lower half was shaking from the exertion. "More," I pleaded urgently. I could feel myself going over the edge and only a few more carefully placed thrusts would get me there.

Reno tightened his grip and slammed himself up against me so hard I temporarily saw stars swim through my vision. He did it again, sending us both sailing over the edge. I dug my nails into his shoulder as my walls crashed down on his member. I gasped at the pleasure that left almost my whole body numb and had to hold myself back from crying out with the ferocity of a behemoth.

I collapsed on top of him, our bodies still connected. Once I caught my breath I looked at him and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "God, I love you, Reno."

"You have no idea how much I love you," he replied, his eyes still closed.

"Wanna go to bed now?" I asked, starting to pull away from him.

He nodded and opened his eyes. "Yeah, I could use sleep."

I slid off of him and unsteadily made my way over to the side of the bed, pulling the covers back and climbing in. Reno slipped in next to me and we fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.


	31. Suspicions

**Disclaimer:**

I own this story...the characters I do not. I'm just borrowing them...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, I know this chapter is really short and you're probably gonna wanna shoot me for leaving yet again another cliff hanger but I wanted to save all the good stuff for next chapter, okie day? I will try to have the next chapter up before I leave for vacation but if it's not up Monday night or Tuesday morning...that means I wasn't able to finish it and will work on it during vacation when I have some down time so I can get it up when I get back.

So hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

The next morning when I woke up, Reno was nowhere to be found. I took my time getting out of bed and dressed in some shorts and a nice shirt. The weather in Wutai was surprisingly warm for the spring. I checked on Logan quickly before going downstairs.

"Morning, Red." I smiled when I saw him sitting at the dining room table reading the morning paper.

He looked up at me and smiled as best as an animal can. "Good morning, Tifa. How did you sleep?"

"Good," I said, sitting down across from him.

"So," the red beast continued. "You and Reno got frisky again last night."

My eyes widened and a red blush crept up my face. "I didn't think we made that much noise. I swear we were being quiet."

"You might have been but I could hear you just fine. Remember, Tifa, my hearing is superior to yours."

My cheeks became an even deeper red. This was the second time the fiery feline had heard Reno and I making love; I couldn't help but be embarrassed.

"Well," I said, getting up, quickly changing the subject. "Is there anything interesting to eat around here?"

Nanaki shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Go ahead and look around in the kitchen. I'm sure Yuffie wouldn't mind."

I found a box of dried cereal and decided to have that. I could go out later and get a bigger lunch with Logan and Reno. I filled a bowl to the brim with cereal and milk then joined Red at the table. "Oh, where did Reno go?" I asked, placing a large spoonful of the sugary cereal into my mouth.

"Him and Cid left together an hour or so before you got up. They didn't tell me where they were going."

I nodded. "So, they wouldn't mind if I took Logan over to the house Cloud and Aeris were in to get his stuff?"

He shook his head and pushed the paper away with his paw. "If they return before you I'll tell them where you went. Yuffie should still be over there."

I finished the last of the cereal then washed the bowl out and placed it in the sink. I had just finished climbing the stairs when I heard Logan call me. I walked through the door as he was getting ready to shout 'mommy' again. His face brightened when he saw me and immediately he stretched his arms out towards me so I would pick him up.

I wrapped him in my arms protectively and planted a kiss on the top of his head. "Morning, sweetheart. Ready to go get chocobo and blankie?"

"Uh-huh," he said, nodding.

Red gave me directions to the house and I left, briskly walking across town until said house could be seen in the distance. The door was slightly ajar as I approached it so I just pushed it open and looked around inside. A confused look fell over my face when I saw Yuffie looking around the living room with a lost look on her face.

"What is it, Yuffie?"

"Holy Hell!" Yuffie shouted, clutching her chest. "Sheesh, Tifa, don't sneak up on me like that! You're just as bad as Vincent!"

I rolled my eyes as I approached her. "Sorry about that, Yuff. Anyways, what's wrong?"

"I forgot where I put the other mini mic. I swear it was under the couch."

"Maybe you didn't look hard enough," I said, giving the young shinobi a bright smile before walking down the hall and into the room Logan had been occupying.

I set my small son on the floor then walked over to the crib sitting against the back wall. I smiled as I spied his chocobo and blanket sitting in one corner, just waiting to be picked up. I grabbed the stuffed chocobo and soft cotton blanket, handing them over to my smiling toddler. He clutched them to his chest and giggled before he kissed his chocobo on the top of its head. He smiled up at me then toddled off into the living room, more than likely to bug Yuffie.

I hung back and examined all the drawers to see if there was anything there I could salvage. All the clothes Reno saw Cloud and Aeris buy him were still in very good condition so I grabbed anything and everything that I could before walking out of the room. Yuffie had picked Logan up and was still looking around the room for the mic she lost.

"Still can't find it, Yuff?" I asked, stopping beside her, my arms full of clothes.

She nodded. "Yeah, but I guess it's okay. I can always buy more." She looked over at me and, upon seeing my arms full, offered to carry Logan.

"Thanks," I replied, relieved for the help.

Back at the house, Yuffie helped me fold and place all the clothes in my suitcase while Red sat downstairs with Logan, actively trying to play with him. The thought of Reno's return once again popped into my head and I turned to Yuffie.

"Hey, Yuff, do you know where Cid and Reno went this morning?" I asked, folding a shirt and pair of shorts then stuffing them into my bag.

She shook her head. "I was up when they left but they refused to tell me anything." If indeed she did know something she did a very good job at hiding it.

Once Yuffie and I were finished with our meager task we had nothing to do but sit around her house until Reno and Cid got back. I got on the floor with Logan and played some games with him and read him a few of his story books before he fell asleep on the couch. Yuffie was sitting on the floor, messing with a few of her Chinese stars and Red was asleep on the floor a few feet away.

Yuffie spotted the sleeping feline and looked back at me with an evil grin, rotating a star in her nimble fingers. My eyes got wide as I realized what she was about to do. I went to step forward and tell her no but she had already turned around and chucked the star at Red.

He yelped and jumped up as the star hit him in one of his flanks. Yuffie had thrown so it would surprise him more than hurt him. Red shot a glare at Yuffie, his nostrils flaring. "What was that for?" He asked, his fiery tail swishing back and forth swiftly.

Yuffie giggled. "Just for laughs."

Red rolled his lone eye. "I'm delighted that my only purpose is to cause you humans entertainment," he said, his voice wry.

I laughed as I walked toward the red beast and kneeled down next to him. I grabbed his shoulders. "Oh, come on, Red! We only pick on you cause we think you're just so cute!" I ruffled his mane.

"Wonderful, now I'm 'cute'. Check that off of the list '100 Things I Want to Accomplish Before I Die'."

I rolled my eyes and left Red alone to sulk. Yuffie and I walked into her back yard and sat on the small bench next to the koi pond. I reached down and put my index finger below the surface. The fish, thinking my finger was some type of food, drifted up and nibbled at it. Upon realizing my finger was nothing edible they swam off to another corner of the pond.

I sighed, resting my hands in my lap. "Yuffie, are you sure you don't know where Cid and Reno went?"

"I'm serious as a heart attack, Teef. They didn't even tell me when they'd be back. They just told me and Red they were 'going out'."

"Gosh, I wonder where they went." I brought my gaze back down to stare at the orange and white speckled koi in the pond and missed the grin that slithered onto Yuffie's face.

I sighed again and rose from the bench. "Well, I'm a little tired. I might go in and take a short nap. If Reno gets back tell him I'm up in our room, okay?"

"Sure, Teef," she said, remaining on the bench.

As soon as I had disappeared from sight, Yuffie pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket and opened it, quickly dialing a number.

"Reno? Yeah, it's Yuffie." She paused. "She went to take a nap." She paused once more and her eyes nervously darted all around the yard making sure no one was eavesdropping. "Okay, I'll grab Nanaki and meet you there in a few."

She slapped her phone shut and a smirk stretched across her pale face as she walked back into her home.


	32. A Fitting End

**Disclaimer:**

Last time I checked I didn't own...hold on...nope still don't own it...

**Author's Note:**

Well, hey, I get the next chapter up before I go on vacation! Hot dog! But, I am sorry to admit that this is the last chapter. I hope I gave each and every one of you a good read and entertained you, even though sometimes I screwed up. I have decided that Nando the RPS King's idea about vigenettes instead of a multi-chap fic is the best idea as of yet. I'll get to working on that as soon as I can but I'm going to concentrate on my other on going stories for the time being. I want to at least get 3/4 of them finished before I start something new. So I hope all of you will continue to support me and that you'll stick around for the sequel!

Enjoy the last chapter of **Why Do I Love Thee? **Writing this story was an absolute joy and I adore every single review I recieved. You guys have inspired me so much! Thank you and Good night!

* * *

Red was once again lying on the floor asleep when Yuffie stepped back inside. She kneeled down next to the sleeping cat. "Hey, wake up, Sleeping Beauty. It's time."

Red's eyes snapped open. "Did Reno call?" He asked, his lone eye going directly to the stair just in case Tifa happened to bound down them.

She nodded. "A few minutes ago. Come on, we have to go meet him."

Red followed Yuffie outside quietly. "So, what exactly are we doing again?" Red asked as they began to walk across town to the pagoda.

"We're picking up the supplies so we can leave a trail for Tifa to follow when she wakes up. Hopefully Logan will stay asleep until Tifa wakes up. I talked to my dad this morning and he allowed them to use the top floor of the pagoda for the night."

The feline nodded and continued to follow the lanky ninja through the town. The pagoda loomed above them almost menacingly, daring them to challenge its raw power. Yuffie's chest puffed out slightly as she walked through the door. She would soon have her own floor of the pagoda just like her father did.

The ninja and cat climbed the pagoda in revered silence until they reached the top. Reno and Cid were in the middle of preparations and didn't hear them walk in.

"Excuse me!" Yuffie announced, making the two men jump slightly.

"Damn, Yuffie! Give us a bit of a warning, will ya?" Cid exclaimed, bracing himself against the wall for a second.

"Sorry," she said, clasping her hands behind her back sheepishly. "We came to get the stuff."

Cid leaned over and grabbed a medium sized box and shoved it into Yuffie's open arms. "Make sure she doesn't see any of this until we're ready.

She saluted sloppily. "No worries, we'll work backwards."

Cid nodded, satisfied with her answer before turning around and resuming what he had been working on.

Yuffie shifted the box in her arms and turned to Red with a sly grin. "Well, let's get going!"

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox. _

Sleep had come to me quickly. Because of my pregnancy my body was going through a roller coaster of changes. Before I fell asleep I started to feel a little bit of nausea. Morning sickness cometh with a vengeance.

I had been sleeping quite deeply when a sudden bout of nausea hit me like a brick to the face. I shot up from the bed and bolted into the bathroom, making it there just in time to hurl my breakfast into the toilet. I kneeled in front of the porcelain god as my stomach continued to lurch.

"I _hate _being pregnant!" I finally managed to choke out after my stomach decided to calm down.

I hovered over the sink and turned the faucet on then stuck my head under the running water. I swished the water around in my mouth then spat it out. I groaned as I walked out of the guest room.

_Don't worry_, I reassured myself. _This morning sickness stuff only lasts for a few weeks anyways. Thank God._

I trudged down the stairs, kind of hoping that Logan was still fast asleep. I peeked my head over the back of the couch and frowned when I saw a white slip of paper where my son should have been. I began to panic as I quickly reached for the note and unfolded it. The thought of this being another kidnapping note ran through my terrified mind over and over again.

_Hi Tifa!_

_It's Yuffie! Sorry if I scared you but I needed to borrow Logan for a second. You know how I said Cid and Reno weren't up to anything? Well, I kind of lied about that. But I'm not telling you what they were doing. You gotta figure it out yourself._

_Sincerely,_

_The Great Ninja Yuffie_

_P.S. Your first clue is hanging around the doorknob._

I frowned as I studied the last line. What first clue? I looked up at the front door and, sure enough, there was another note attached to the doorknob. I placed the one in my hand on the coffee table and approached the front door, grabbing the next note.

I opened it and read Yuffie's very recognizable handwriting.

_Clue #1:_

_This place is the biggest and most noticeable place here in Wutai. It's the place where that fat blonde pervert held poor ol' me hostage. _

I smirked, turning around and climbing the stairs. I stepped into a pair of flip-flops that I had brought with me before returning down stairs. I glanced at the clock quickly. It was only a few minutes after five.

I sighed as I stepped out into the warm evening air. I stared at the note in my hand once more before looking around the town from Yuffie's front porch. Like my eyes were almost pulled, my gaze settled on Mt. Da Chao. I smirked. How could I possibly forget something so funny? Seeing Yuffie strapped to the side of the mountain was revenge enough for stealing all of our materia.

I walked calmly but briskly through town, not bothering to stop and look at the scenery. Pure curiosity was the only thing that drove me to walk even faster. I wanted to get to the bottom of this as soon as I could. Something in the back of my head told me I was in for a very, very big surprise. Da Chao loomed above me and, for a second, I thought it would be hopeless to find a tiny slip of paper in such a large area until I saw something white flapping in the branches of a near by tree.

I smiled as I made my way over to it, plucking it from the branches.

_Clue #2:_

_Remember the fire cave that the water god, Leviathan was said to live in a long, long time ago? We put out the flames there!_

I folded the stark white paper and placed it in my back pocket. Scaling Da Chao wasn't very difficult. There was a distinct path carved into the side of the mountain that tourists could walk around on and not worry about falling off. As I trudged up the path in the mountain I couldn't help but gaze at soft red glow the setting sun did to the pale brown of the rock. It made the figures carved into the mountainside were ablaze, the flames spreading to every corner of the sky.

Before I knew it I was at the entrance to the cave the note spoke of. Upon entering it, I raised my arm in front of my eyes and shrank back slightly. Somehow the flames that burned there three years ago had been rekindled. Now they burned with an even greater intensity. The flames burned so brightly I almost turned tail and got out of there but I knew that Yuffie wouldn't have put the note in here unless she knew I could find it.

I took a deep breath and delved into the intensely hot cave. A green box shimmered off to the right. I immediately went to it, knowing Yuffie would put the note somewhere it wouldn't get burned or destroyed. I lifted the lid and smiled triumphantly as I lifted the next piece of paper out of the box.

I decided that reading the note outside the cave would be much better than sitting next to the searing hot flames. I quickly ran out of the cave before opening the note.

_Clue #3:_

_Now that you've made it out of the Leviathan's cave why don't you find the koi pond at the base of Da Chao and cool off?_

Sitting next to a pool of cool water sounded like heaven at that point in time. I made a beeline for the base of the mountain and vigilantly searched for the koi pond. I sighed when I found it in a small clearing of trees right where the note said it was. I sat down in the grass and dipped my hands into the refreshing water. I splashed some on my face and arms, enjoying the feeling of the water cooling off my skin.

I snapped to attention a few moments later, remembering I had another clue to find. I found it resting in the grass next to a large boulder on the pond's bank. I settled back into the cool grass and read the new clue.

_Clue #4:_

_Now that you're nice and cooled off, time to get ready! Meet me in the guestroom of my old house. (The one you guys spent a few nights in when I stole all your materia.)_

I knew the place Yuffie was speaking of and got up immediately and set out for my next destination. Time to get ready? Get ready for what? The longer I thought about what was going on the more confused I got. When had they come up with this? Everything just got back to normal yesterday. I got Logan back and Cid had Cloud taken care of. Where the ignorant blonde was I hadn't the slightest idea. Just as long as he was far away from my son and me I would be fine. The way that Reno acted when I spoke to Cloud signified that the fiery haired Turk would jump at the chance to shove his mag rod up Cloud's ass.

The front door was slightly ajar as I approached Godo's residence. I slipped inside and looked around cautiously. The light in the guest room we had spent many a night in was on and I could see a skinny form moving about behind the screen. I tapped on the wall next to the door and waited for who ever was inside to answer.

Yuffie pulled the screen to the side and smiled when she saw. "Hey, Teef!" She exclaimed, grabbing my wrist and pulling me inside, slamming the screen shut once again. "Glad you found all the clues, now come on! We have to get your ready!"

"Get ready for what?" I asked, as she directed me to a corner of the room.

"You'll find out later. I'm just supposed to help you get ready. Now no more questions. You're supposed to pick your favorite out of these three dresses." She pointed to three very elegant looking Wutain evening gowns. There was a dark green and gold one, a blue and silver one and the last was red and black.

I walked towards them and inspected them carefully, fingering the soft fabric in my fingers. "I think I'll take the green one. My mother used to tell me I looked beautiful in green."

Yuffie clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Wonderful choice. You can change later. I'm gonna do your hair and make up first."

Yuffie spent a good hour on my hair and make up. She said she wanted to make everything perfect. By the time I was actually allowed to get into the dress I chose, it was almost eight o'clock. She helped me get into the dress and then expertly tied and fastened it around my body. She gave me a gold pair of high heels to wear and stepped back as I inspected myself in the mirror. The dress was extremely soft against my skin and hugged every curve of my body.

"Well, did I go good?" The young ninja asked from behind me.

"You did excellent." I turned to her and gave her a tight hug. "Where do I go now?"

She took my hand and started to lead me out. "Come with me."

She pulled me across the extremely large courtyard that led to the famous five-story pagoda. Yuffie stopped at the door and pushed it open. "Reno's waiting on the top floor." She placed her hand on my back and pushed me inside. "Go get 'em," she said, giving me a wink.

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Yuffie."

"Don't mention it, Teef. Now get up there and have fun with your man."

She pulled the door shut and disappeared before I got a chance to say anything else. I turned away from the door and took a deep breath before climbing the stairs leading to the second floor.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

Reno had started pacing at 7:30. It was now 8:05. He was sure she'd be here by now. He kept raising his right wrist and staring at the watch there. It was almost like time was against him. This could possibly be the biggest night of his life and time is going backwards. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, pacing across the polished wood floor for possibly the one-hundredth time that night. He was so nervous. He had tried to hold back on biting his nails and messing with his hair but the index and middle finger nails on his left hand were now sharp and jagged and his hair was returning to its natural messy state, like it had been neat in the first place.

He was getting ready to chew on another nail when he heard the sharp clicking of high heels coming up the stairs. His breath caught in his throat as he abruptly stopped pacing, shoving his left hand back in his pants pocket. As the footsteps got closer and closer he could feel sweat start to drip down his pale forehead. He cleared his throat, making sure when he greeted her he had a voice with which to do it.

Dark green fabric fluttered in the entry way and he froze as she came into full view. The only thing he seemed to be able to move was his eyes. They couldn't stop staring at her. If he was gaping at her, he wouldn't have been able to feel it. Her make up matched the colors of her dress. Her wine colored eyes provided a glorious contrast, setting them apart from the rest of her body. She smiled as she saw him and he could feel himself start to melt into a drooling puddle on the floor. He thought she was beautiful before tonight but now he swore he was in the presence of an angel. Her steps were slow and precise and she seemed to glide across the floor towards him in a flurry of silk. If he retained any coherent thought when she stepped into the room the rest certainly disappeared when he smelled the perfume she was wearing.

He closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent, letting it overcome his senses and intoxicate him.

_.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox._

My heels clicked loudly as I climbed the pagoda. By the time I reached the fourth floor, I was wondering why Reno had chosen the very top. Why couldn't it have been on the first floor? Wutain dresses aren't that easy to walk in, especially if it feels like I'm wearing a corset.

I stopped at the entrance to the fifth floor stair and took another deep breath before making my way up it. My steps seemed to reverberate unnaturally loud as I got closer and closer to the fifth floor. My heart started to beat faster in anticipation of what would happen.

I stepped lightly into the room and looked around in awe. There were brightly burning candles around the perimeter of the rectangular floor and a large stereo sat in one corner. The only lights burning in the room were the candles and dimmed overhead lights. My eyes found Reno standing solitary in the middle of the room with his hands shoved in his pockets, a look of shock in his eyes. He was wearing a simple black tuxedo sans the tie. He actually had all the buttons buttoned and the shirt tucked into his pants.

I smiled and slowly walked across the room and stopped in front of him. His eyes continued to roam over my body. I smiled even wider as I watched him close his eyes and inhale deeply. Thank you Yuffie and your overly large collection of sexy smelling perfumes.

I reached out and touched his face gently. He let out a long, slow breath and leaned into my touch. Many moments later he finally snapped out of his trance and opened his glowing teal eyes. He took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," I replied, feeling butterflies fluttering around in my stomach.

Reno stepped closer to me and took my free hand as well, lacing our fingers together. "You're probably wondering what I was doing all day but…" He paused for a second, pulling something from his pocket and pushing a button. Soft music drifted through the air as he looked back at me. "Will you dance with me?"

My smile grew even wider as I nodded. He took my left hand in his right and placed his left hand on the small of my back. I propped my right hand on his shoulder, waiting for him to start. He gazed down at me as we started to move across the room with the music. It was a slow instrumental, something that would be played maybe for a waltz.

To be frank, I was speechless. I hadn't the slightest idea that when I would walk through that door he would ask me to dance with him. I had never pictured Reno as the dancing type but he certainly proved me wrong as he gracefully led me across the floor with the expertise of a pro.

"Reno, I never thought you could dance." He twirled me out.

"It's something I picked up during my Turk days," he said, smiling as he dipped me.

Speech left us as we continued to move gracefully across the floor. The music in the background faded to a dull hum as I stared into Reno's teal orbs. I remember my mother telling about a 'perfect moment in time.' A 'perfect moment' is when time seems to slow down and it's only you and the person you were with. A small smile graced my lips as I realized that my 'perfect moment' was happening.

The song ended and another started up. The tune was familiar but I couldn't quite remember who sang it. Reno smirked as he twirled me out and started to sing softly along with the music.

"_Can this be true?_

_Tell me, can this be real?_

_How can I put into words what I feel?"_

My eyes widened in shock as Reno continued to expertly lead me across the dance floor while keeping tune with the music. Him knowing how to dance was understandable. I knew that Turks had to be jacks-of-all-trades. But…singing? I would have never, _ever_ pictured Reno serenading a woman. I was so shocked that my legs almost gave out.

"_My life was complete. _

_I thought I was whole._

_Why do I feel like I'm losing control?_

_I never thought that love could feel like this._

_And you changed my world with just one kiss."_

He pulled me in and locked lips briefly before continuing to sing.

"_How can it be that right here with me there's an angel?_

_It's a miracle._

"_Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep._

_Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep._

_When I look into your eyes I know that it's true_

_God must have spent a little more time on you."_

The butterflies that had appeared in my stomach earlier had quickly doubled as I listened to him sing. I was totally entranced by his voice. I was like a snake hiding in a wicker basket and he was the charmer with the flute, trying to get me to come out of the basket. He had succeeded in getting me to poke my head out of the basket and weave my head around to his mesmerizing tune. I was a puppet on a string and he had complete control over me even if he didn't know it.

"_In all of creation, all things great and small_

_You are the one that surpasses them all._

_More precious than any diamond or pearl._

_They broke the mold when you came in this world._

_And I'm trying hard to figure out_

_Just how I ever did without_

_The warmth of your smile_

_The heart of a child that's deep inside_

_Leaves me purified._

"_Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep._

_Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep._

_When I look into your eyes I know that it's true_

_God must have spent a little more time on you."_

I continued to move almost robotically. I was so mesmerized by his voice that it felt like I had completely lost all control over my body. The only way I kept moving was by Reno leading me. If he didn't have a firm grip on me I would have surely melted into a pile of goop on the floor the moment he started singing. As I listened to the lyrics, there was no doubt in my mind that he was not only repeating them but he was using them to deliver the words that his heart so desperately wanted to tell me. Thinking of how big of an impact I've had on this man's life made me blush. And after all these years, I thought I was the one who needed saving.

"_I never thought that love could feel like this._

_And you changed my world with just one kiss._

_How can it be that right here with me there's an angel?_

_It's a miracle._

"_Your love is like a river, peaceful and deep._

_Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep._

_When I look into your eyes I know that it's true_

_God must have spent a little more time on you._

_God must have spent…a little more time on you."_

He slowly twirled me out and brought me back in just as slowly as he sang the last line. I smiled as he leaned down and kissed me longingly as the song came to an end. We pulled away from each other and Reno reached into his pocket, revealing a small black controller. He stopped the music and turned to me, gripping both my hands in his.

He took a deep breath, obviously preparing himself for whatever he was getting ready to say.

"Tifa?" He started, looking at me expectantly.

"Hmm?" I grinned and continued to listen expectantly.

"I know when we saw each other in the casino that we weren't on good terms and for a while we didn't get along very well. I learned some things about you that I would have never taken the time to learn before. You are so amazing and I can't believe that Cloud didn't stay with you but…" He paused briefly as he gently placed a hand on my still flat stomach. "I'm not going to as foolish as walking out on you when you need me most. I had sex with you knowing that you would probably get pregnant and now I'm going to finish what I started."

Still holding fast onto my left hand, Reno dropped to one knee as he reached into the breast pocket of his shirt. My eyes widened as he twirled a silver ring around in his fingers. "Tifa Lockheart, I love you more than you could ever imagine. Will you marry me?"

He slipped the ring on my finger and I brought my hand up, gazing at the object with a forlorn look on my face. The band was silver with a large heart shaped ruby bordered by diamonds. I brought my eyes back to his and I stared at him with a wide eyed, slack jawed expression until I screamed in pure joy and threw my arms around his neck. He managed to get up in time so he didn't end up on the floor. I tightly wrapped my legs around his waist and tightly squeezed his neck.

Tears started to pour from my eyes. My dream was finally coming true. Ever since I was a little girl I had dreamed of my wedding day. I had dreamed of the day when a man would get down on one knee and propose to me and tell me he loved me. Just knowing that this was _really_ happening was enough to make me cry. I thought Cloud would be the one to do this, but my dream had been crushed with him. After Cloud left me, I was doubting whether or not I would ever get married. I didn't think any other man would want to raise another man's child knowing that he really wasn't theirs.

Reno had come through for me. He had loved me when I thought I didn't deserve it. He loved my son like one of his own and didn't run away when I told him I was pregnant with his child. Reno was everything Cloud would never be and more.

"So, I take it that's a yes?" Reno asked as he placed me back on the floor.

I nodded. "Yes, it is." I kissed him and wrapped my arms around his neck once more in a less lethal hug. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Reno smirked. "Good, because that ring cost an arm and a leg."

I rolled my eyes and smacked him on the chest. "Well, from the way you were dancing it didn't look like you were missing an arm and a leg."

Reno stuck his tongue out at me and took one of my hands in his. "Keep going," he said playfully. "All of this today cost me a lot of gil. I could just take that ring back." He reached for the ring and acted like he was going to pull it off my finger.

I slapped his hand away. "No, I'll keep it, thank you! I thought you wanted to marry me!"

He stopped and pulled me to him. "Of course I do. I wouldn't have spent so much money on you if I didn't."

He enveloped me in a long, passionate kiss that I swore went on forever. Maybe it did, my mom never said a girl couldn't have two 'perfect moments.'


End file.
